Our differing views aside, my only real exception is his habit of confusing his opinions with those of the majority.

In a question to David Cameron at the recent Yorkshire Post Sixty Against One event, Mr Quarrie opined that "75 per cent of British people want out of the European Union".

In reply, David Cameron made it clear that he didn't concur. He continued by fully explaining why Conservative policy does not include a withdrawal from the EU. The paramount factor in his view seems to be the need to participate in setting the rules of the single market.

In his latest letter, Mr Quarrie states that "real change is impossible, because those three parties are so similar, and because the UK is in the EU".

Certainly, the Conservatives and Labour in recent years have taken to copying each other's policies, thereby depriving voters of choice, and inhibiting change. While I deplore this as much as Mr Quarrie, when he presents being "in the EU" as a similar problem, I cannot but wonder exactly what sort of change he has in mind.

About a year ago, in the first round of the French presidential election, there were 12 candidates, from parties ranging from the far Right National Front to the far Left Revolutionary Communist League. The magnificent turnout of more than 83 per cent was repeated in the second round. It is obvious that being in the EU did not prevent French politicians from offering a wide choice, or voters from participating.

I believe that the lack of choice and apathy to which Mr Quarrie refers is a home-grown political malaise, and that his efforts in seeking to externalise any and every perceived problem are misguided.


Too many laws, except this one...

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Acomb, York.

CHEF Gordon Ramsay is now promoting "local" foods and saying that any restaurant that offers imported out-of-season food to its customers should be fined, and he has discussed this idea with Prime Minister Gordon Brown. We already have more than enough laws and legislation and unenforceable doctrines, but it would be good if a law was to be enacted to stop Ramsay swearing so much on his TV programmes.


Radical changes needed to the voting system


From: JB Doyle, Queensway, Moorgate, Rotherham.

BERNARD Ingham's article (Yorkshire Post, April 30) was, as always, bitingly honest and factual but to the public at large a warning that unless radical changes to our voting system take place quickly, we will descend at an ever-increasing rate into a Marxist type rule of government.

First I point out the following which – I trust – is common knowledge to our electorate. If not, it should be.

A Government which inherited a multi-billion pound honey pot sold off most of our gold reserves for "coppers" and continued to fritter away our reserves at a greater rate than our economic growth belies belief. In short, 10 years ago, the Government were £50bn in credit and are now £50bn in debt, the taxpayers, naturally, picking up the bill.

The result? We now have the biggest budget deficit in our history. Anyone can spend money recklessly with an unlimited supply at its beck and call and any private company, at whatever level, would have been quickly declared bankrupt had they operated like our Government.

A benefits bill of £100bn annually, 748 quangos, still increasing, one in four employees in the public sector, murder in the streets, uncontrollable immigration and a totally corrupt Government for 10 years, ruled by Tony Blair, a messianic dictator who authorised an unlawful war and who now, undoubtedly, intends to succeed Pope Benedict XVI.

Labour policy is based on bringing down society to its lowest level and they no doubt intend to eliminate trust, honesty, integrity etc from the English dictionary since they don't know the meaning of these words. They make vice a virtue.

What can we do about it? I believe that a form of "proportional representation" combined with a mandatory minimum of two thirds of the voting population would, in my view, create a more fairer voting system than at present.

Qualifications of ministerial nominees require serious attention.

A more vigorous selective procedure must somehow be adopted to ensure we don't continue to offset the continually spiralling downfall of our totally inept Government which operates in perpetual hindsight and in consequence has allowed the creation of a "theatrical" administration which the public at large cannot take seriously.