WHILST I agree wholeheartedly with the beginning sentiments of Dave Woodcock's letter (Journal Postbag, April 4) – yes, Brexit is far more important than our relationship with the EU – I do take issue with his logic.

Mr Woodcock produces a list of 'populist opportunists' who are all 'right-wingers' (whatever that is supposed to mean) and states that their 'politics is repugnant to the majority of people in the centre ground'. How on Earth does he equate Boris Johnson, for example, with a rise in far right parties and a xenophobic nutter in New Zealand who takes automatic weapons to a mosque and opens fire?

I suggest Mr Woodcock looks up the meaning of the word 'populist', because according to the media I read, the 'majority', centre ground or not, does want what his list of 'right-wingers' is touting, including the decision to leave the socialist EU. It's our democratically elected government itself which is failing to be 'populist', despite its manifesto pledges. This is a classic start to the sort of government v people crises still taking place in France and Venezuela.

I would further suggest to Mr Woodcock that 'right-wing' politics is on the rise because the 'centre ground' majority are fed up to the back teeth with socialist-leaning government that takes little or no notice of what 'the people' actually want: 'the people', of course, being too thick or elderly to know what it is they are voting for.

This point Mr Woodcock touches on in his last paragraphs with his plea to our representative, MP John Glen, to do something about local problems.

Adrian Kirkup

Salisbury