SO THE country has spoken and most people in Winchester are saddened, bemused and appalled by what they hear.

By a clear majority people in the Winchester district voted to stay in the European Union.

Set aside that this was a wholly unnecessary referendum set in train by a PM looking to solve political problems with his backbenchers and the threat from Ukip.

The Remainers must accept the decision even if history will show it will have been a mistake.

They should reject the idea of a second referendum and the legalistic but daft notion of parliament voting down the clear result. MPs represent the people, Mr Brine represents Winchester and chandler's Ford. MPs are not delegates as such, and are paid to exercise their judgement, but it would be wrong for them to sidestep the referendum. Steve Brine is right to say that he must accept the will of the people nationally.

It is vital that the pro-EU camp and Brexiteers work hard to heal the rift that has set the young against the old, the north against the south, city against country, graduates against non-graduates, the right against the left.

This newspaper has raised the issue of the growing anger in politics, the corrosive erosion of trust in the process itself.

It is crucial that the hotheads on both sides do not take control.