Placing percentages with the Alternative Vote referendum

On May 5, the electoral districts of Oxford and Cambridge (see a pattern there?) and some of those in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow said Yes to the Alternative Vote.

We are all signed up to the ancient principle of subsidiarity, whereby decisions are taken at the lowest practical level. We should, accordingly, allow the electorate in these areas to select their MPs using AV (or failing that at least their local councillors).

This would give us a small, safe pilot study. We would have had that in the first place but for the naivety of those who opted for a referendum on a technical issue without adequate public information.

The stability of central government would not be compromised. It will be able to step in and restore order when, as forecast, these places are bankrupted by the process and their elections won by lizards from outer space.

From: Malcolm Naylor, Grange View, Otley.

With typical Establishment zeal, the media commentators are hailing the local elections and referendum as an expression of wishes of the population. But with a turnout of only 42 per cent, it definitely is not.

The “overwhelming majority”, as described by the BBC voted, for no change but, in fact, 70 per cent of 42 per cent is only about 30 per cent, and that does not include the spoiled votes, which is conveniently dismissed.

Cunningly, the media gives little emphasis to the numbers of spoiled votes as this may expose the deception.

So, in reality, more than 60 per cent of the population may want neither of the existing voting systems offered but were never given an opportunity to say so.

Even the defeated Liberal Democrats go along with this deception, so those who put their trust in them should never do so again.

From: David T Craggs, Tunstall.

I WAS initially puzzled, then extremely annoyed when the clerk at my polling station asked me if I wanted to vote in the AV referendum. Was this common practice at polling stations throughout the country?

If so, how many people, a little unsure of the AV argument or how the question on the voting form would be worded, decided not to vote at all?

I would suggest that the wholesale asking of this apparently innocent question may well have affected the final result in favour of the Yes campaign.

From: Jim Pike, Nursery Close, Leeds.

I WAS sorry to see that the Lib Dems are crying after losing the referendum on Alternative Voting. I am reminded of elections in many Third World countries:

“An election that I win is the clear and unequivocal voice of the people, democratically expressed. An election that I lose was rigged, gerrymandered, biased and unfair, and should be set aside and disregarded.”

I am sorry that Mr Clegg and his friends appear to be bad losers.

From: Jack Kinsman, Stainton Drive, Grimsby.

Now that the Government has wasted millions of pounds on the stupid AV farce, maybe they can now give us a worthwhile referendum on whether we stay in the dreaded EU or govern ourselves.

If the Government can remember how to do it, that is.

From: Coun Steve Radford, President of the Liberal Party, Sutton Street, Tuebrook, Liverpool.

we are seeing voices critical of the Tory-led coalition among ranks of the Lib Dem following the culling of Lib Dem councillors and MSPs.

However, in this case, the problem is that the Lib Dems sold out, hand over fist, all the key economic issues they campaigned on to adopt a diametrically opposed Tory economic agenda including regressive tax increases such as VAT.

The critics coming out of the woodwork after the electoral collapse with the Lib Dems losing 695 seats in England is a little ironic. Many of these are the same people who voted overwhelmingly for the coalition deal at the Lib Dem conference held here in Liverpool last year.

From: Terry Duncan, Greame Road, Bridlington.

The Lib Dems could be great again and put fear in to the Conservatives and Labour if they bought back that bruiser Charles Kennedy as leader to put spirit into the party instead of that wimp Clegg.

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

It was good that voters at the recent local elections showed just what they thought of the Liberal Democrats’ participation in the coalition.

Let’s hope that they also realise that the driving force behind public spending cuts is the Conservative Party and its Thatcherite tendency.

After all, blame should be equally apportioned.

From: Michael Dennis, South Grange, Ripon.

IF Alex Salmond wants independence for Scotland, he should hold the referendum in England – he would undoubtedly win an overwhelming victory.