Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies says the 2016 referendum result must be honoured, after Government data revealed nearly 10,000 Powys residents had signed a petition to try to stop Brexit.

Last week, a campaign was launched by remain voters on the UK Government petitions website entitled "Revoke article 50", encouraging the government to remain in the European Union and abandon plans for Brexit.

By Monday, March 25, the petition had attracted over 5.5 million signatures, with 4,291 of those from Montgomeryshire - just under 10% of the local electorate. A further 5,586 were from the Brecon and Radnorshire constituency.

But Mr Davies said he was sticking to his guns, saying it would be "dishonest and undemocratic" for him to change his position.

“Brexit is a deeply divisive issue, and always has been. I promised the voters of Montgomeryshire that I favoured leaving the UK leaving the EU, maintaining the view I’ve held since the previous EU referendum in 1975," he said.

"Along with the vast majority of MPs, I promised I would accept and implement the 2016 EU Referendum result, and along with vast majority of MPs voted to invoke Article 50 in 2017.

"It would be wholly undemocratic and dishonest on my part if I changed my position now. It follows that I am opposed to a re-run of the EU Referendum, and to revoking Article 50. I have been a total supporter of leaving the EU by an agreed deal, and have from the beginning supported the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by the Prime Minister and the EU’s Michel Barnier.”

The petition will be debated in the second chamber at Westminster having crossed the 100,000 signature threshold, but although a government representative will be required to respond on the issue, no vote will be taken as a result of the petition.

In its response to the petition, the government's Department for Exiting the European Union said: "This government will not revoke Article 50.

"The government acknowledges the considerable number of people who have signed this petition.

"However, close to three quarters of the electorate took part in the 2016 referendum, trusting that the result would be respected... 17.4 million people then voted to leave the European Union, providing the biggest democratic mandate for any course of action ever directed at UK Government."

It added: "Revoking Article 50 would break the promises made by government to the British people, disrespect the clear instruction from a democratic vote, and in turn, reduce confidence in our democracy."

A petition calling for a second EU referendum, which has received more than 120,000 signatures, and another signed by more than 140,000 demanding that the UK leave with or without a deal on 29 March, will also be debated.