IN a previous letter Mr Micklewright once, quite patronisingly, offered to allay my concerns about the complexities of the Brexit legislative process, even though I hadn’t raised any concerns.

I had merely stated an alternative opinion. I realised that I would not be able to change his mind so I did not respond.

I cannot, however, let Mr Micklewright’s latest comments go unchallenged as they represent one of the most ludicrous explanations of the electoral process that I have ever heard.

First, he suggests a comparison with the process for probate. These are two very different entities each governed by totally separate rules and legislation and bear no relevance to each other.

Second, and most importantly, there is no UK law or convention, written or otherwise, that states or even assumes that a person who chooses not to exercise their vote will be deemed to have ‘collectively voted to be regarded as voting in direct proportion to those who did cast a formal vote’.

Voting is not mandatory and people registered to vote may chose not to exercise that privilege for a number of reasons – they may be apathetic, think their vote won’t make a difference, be ill on the day of the election, refuse to support the democratic process and so on.

To assume that all these people have agreed that their vote will be proportionally reallocated is illogical, unethical, undemocratic and legally unsupported within our political system.

As a result if a person does not vote their ‘vote’ is ignored and the final outcome is based on turnout, the result being reported as a percentage of that turnout.

Abstentions and absentees are taken into account where a quorum is required to legitimise the vote eg in a company boardroom meeting.

Quorums do apply for parliamentary legislative votes but they are ridiculously low – 40 MPs (including the Speaker) for a Commons vote and 30 peers for a Lords vote.

They do not however apply to the British electoral process which is why so many elections are determined by incredibly low turnouts.

So I will reiterate: It was the majority of the people who exercised their right to vote in the EU referendum who voted for the Leave campaign it was not the majority of the electorate.

That is not only common sense, Mr Micklewright, it is a fact.

Peter McNabb Hartford