The following is a reader submitted letter from this week's Gazette (Thursday, January 10).

The break at Christmas and the New Year may have given us some respite from Brexit, but the fact remains that the nation is on the cusp of taking a decision that will impact negatively on our livelihoods and restrict our rights for decades.

Under the deal negotiated by the Prime Minister it is estimated that we could be worse off by £100bn per year by 2033. This means less money for the NHS and other public services. Not only that we will be stuck in some sort of limbo where we have to abide by EU rules but have no say in them for what promises to be a lengthy transitional period.

Sadly, a "no deal" departure would be many times worse. Those advocating such a departure are akin to thrill-seekers throwing a lighted match into the haystack to see what happens, knowing that they at least can run quickly away.

I don't believe any government is entitled to take decisions that will have such a gravely negative impact on the livelihoods and rights of the electorate without being absolutely certain that it is what the people want.

We must have a second referendum to ensure that these scenarios are what the British people really wanted and expected at the 2016 referendum. To do otherwise is an affront to democracy.

Noel Wheatley

Thornbury