Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has rightly been praised as a sound country constituency MP and has a comfortable 'safe' Conservative seat, but he has lost many friends over Brexit.

Even when issues were misrepresented by both sides and were little understood, not least by MPs, 51 percent of Cotswold voters chose IN.

Sir Geoffrey, our supposed representative, has consistently failed to represent this small majority or, more importantly, to moderate his Brexit views one iota to reflect the current mood.

Instead he is associated with Rees-Mogg's European research group, has voted against a Customs Union and voted to leave the EU without a deal.

An early general election seems unlikely since the Conservatives would probably split and be drummed out.

The incoming Corbynistas would make an even greater hash of it, if that is possible, and cause economic disaster.

But Sir Geoffrey’s far right stance will not help Conservatives in the local elections in May; even less in any European ones.

That would be a great shame, since our councillors and MEP have been doing a great job in difficult circumstances.

So our MP simply must listen to the public, his constituents, not just to the tiny Tory party membership itself and his like-minded friends; or he, as well as our current county and district councillors will rue the day.

Compromise is not defeat.

Brexit is not patriotism.

The national interest is more important than party interest.

Ours is a representative democracy and Sir Geoffrey should represent us.

If he cannot bring himself to do so, his local party should consider a different candidate when the time comes.

Perry Farmar

Bibury