MORE than 500 people have written an open letter to Winchester’s MP outlining why there should be a ‘People’s Vote’ over Brexit.

The letter, in the form of a full-page advertisement on page 21 this week's newspaper, was organised and paid for by the Winchester Liberal Democrats, although it includes several names of high profile Wintonians not associated with the party.

It comes after MP Steve Brine took out a full-page advertisement in November explaining why he thought people should support Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal.

In total, 504 people signed the letter, which states: “Following the European Court of Justice Ruling on Article 50, the choice is, as Mrs May herself has said, no longer between ‘this deal and no deal’, but between ‘this deal, no deal or no Brexit’.

“While we agree that Mrs May’s plan is better than the disastrous option of ‘no deal’, her deal is still a bad deal for Winchester and for the country.

“The best ‘deal’ available for Britain remains ‘no Brexit’.

“If, as seems likely, the vote for Mrs May’s deal is lost in Parliament, you will face the choice as to what you should do next.

“We ask you, in that scenario, to support a People’s Vote – a referendum on the final deal – which includes remaining in the EU as an option.”

Among those to have signed the letter are former Winchester City Council chief executive Simon Eden, former Labour city councillor Patrick Davies, and Chris Gillham, of Friends of the Earth.

The letter was launched by the Lib Dems and other local European campaigners at the Buttercross on Saturday.

According to the Lib Dems, the list of names on page 21 only features people who gave a postcode inside the Winchester Parliamentary Constituency and permission to be listed in the Chronicle, saying more than 700 people have signed.

Mr Brine’s advert, which featured in the November 22 edition of the Chronicle, said: “This is the best deal that can be negotiated and I firmly believe that this withdrawal agreement puts the country on a path towards a good deal.”

Both Mr Brine’s and the Lib Dems’ letters were paid-for advertisements, and neither represents the views of the Chronicle.