I HAVE taken some time to reflect on the referendum result.

While hardly a decisive decision to leave at 52/48 (indeed, Farage had said if he lost at 48 per cent it would mean “unfinished business”) it is the legitimate result of the referendum and thus the next steps and consequences should follow from it.

Does this mean that my values are changed and I sit back in resigned defeat? Absolutely not.

Make no mistake that human rights, workers rights, environmental protection and equality are all next on the chopping block and if the only major organised political force in the country are the Tories and UKIP then those values will be systematically destroyed using the same methods of deceit and media manipulation to devastating effect as we just witnessed.

The time has passed for us to be meek or cynically disengaged from politics – it will just lead to more of the values we hold dear being robbed from us while we complain about it on Facebook.

The Tories are now the Brexit party and have reverted to their 1990s ideology.

Labour is in the 1970s, and going from one divisive internal conflict to the next. It took them decades to sort that out last time – and frankly, we don’t have the time to wait for them.

It is critical to get involved with a brand of politics of your choosing that is fair, modern and forward looking.

I chose the Liberal Democrats after the 2015 election as I could see the tide of the far-right beginning a surge then.

Our leader Tim Farron has committed to stand for the 48 per cent, to ensure our voice is not lost and to give voters the means to support a party that still believes in our membership of the European Union.

Since then thousands have joined and I hope many more will so that together we can change things for the better.

AMIR SADEH

Bodorgan Road, Bournemouth

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