IT is clear from Alan Jordan’s letter that the Electoral Commission needs to ensure that each election or referendum is done fairly and that everyone is voting on the same question (HAS, May 7).

I don’t understand how it happened but clearly Alan had a different ballot paper to everyone else in the 2016 referendum. My ballot paper clearly asked me to choose either remain or leave.

There was no mention of a “deal” and certainly no mention of an option for the Government to agree to leave on “whatever terms they thought acceptable”.

In fact David Cameron, later supported by Parliament, agreed that the decision would be taken by the people – and only the people.

I have made this statement in this paper on more than one occasion and it is factual and easily checked but, for some reason, Alan has difficulty understanding plain English.

So, Alan, if you vote to leave the EU and there is no reference on the ballot paper to a deal being essential, it seems reasonable to assume that what we actually voted for was a “no-deal” Brexit.

I am sure that, had we been offered a good deal or even been able to discuss a trade deal whilst negotiating our withdrawal from the EU, that we might have taken it but that was not to be.

Clearly you, Alan, are unhappy with the decision to leave the EU but, fortunately, you are in the minority.

If you have a good case for remaining then put it forward but please don’t make up a case that just isn’t true.

Bill Fisher, Spennymoor