Tuesday's Letters: Voters have opportunity to bring fairness to all

Yes – we the voters are in the driving seat for political reforms that could be the most significant since women got the vote. The Tories don't want us voters to have any more power. That's why they are opposed to any form of proportional representation (PR). Labour wants to adopt a half-baked form of it via a referendum so they can cling on to more power than their support base should give them in a fair system, where every vote matters.

The Tories are trying to scare us with tales of how a hung parliament would destroy the economy and send us running to the IMF. Perhaps they can explain to us how it is that economic powerhouses like Germany and Japan have PR. So do all the Scandinavian countries, which enjoy some of the highest standards of living in the world. The truth is that the Tories don't want to lose their febrile grip on power and their whole history is anti-democratic. They have tried to keep power in the hands of as few people as possible – generally the aristocracy and other privileged elites – for as long as possible. And they are still at it.

Labour has only been dragged into the PR camp because it's going to come in third at the election. If they had ever been serious about PR for democratic reasons they've had 13 years to do something about it.

PR is the only fair system because almost literally every vote counts and makes a difference. What better way is there to engage each of us in politics and give us a reason to vote?

Even Labour can understand that a party that comes third in an election could not morally provide all or even the majority of the government. A coalition would enable the best from all parties to contribute – if only petty party politics could be put aside and the country put first

for a change.

Everyone in the country who knows anything about economics accepts that Vince Cable understands more than any other politician about the country's finances. It would be unthinkable in a proper democracy and particularly in a hung parliament that his talents be ignored for party political reasons

So are we, the great British public, going to squander the best chance we have ever had to get to proper democracy? I sincerely hope not. Let's take this opportunity for fairness.

From: Philip Smith, New Walk, Beverley.

Don't believe the hype of TV debates

From: John A Martin, Westfield Close, Hotham, York.

HOW right is Martin Smith (Yorkshire Post, April 22) re the hype surrounding the election debates? Why should the likes of the BBC and ITV have the right to decide who we should make our choices from?

It has now become obvious why the "three stooges" agreed to these debates; what a perfect way to keep other parties out of the limelight.

Most people I come into contact with are fed up with the way the

country is being run. Most want:

n An end to immigration.

n The hands of the police and school teachers to be untied.

n The end of "early releasing" from prison sentences, ie, 10 years to mean 10 years.

n Corporal punishment brought back for vicious muggers and house burglars.

n Life sentences for drug peddlers.

n The death sentence brought back for serial killers and robbers who commit murder in the process.

n Most of all, the withdrawal from the EU which is the only way any of the above can be brought into being.

Withdrawal from this 27m a day club is vital for the wellbeing of this country but, of course, a vote for any of the TV three will not bring this about.

How many of the electorate realise that all three are in favour of Turkey joining the EU which will entitle 75 million Turks to come here to work, claim benefits and obtain housing? People will say that a vote for one of the smaller parties is a wasted vote but I say that the wasted votes are for the three "Teletubbies."

Maybe the BBC or ITV will arrange for a debate with UKIP, BNP and the English Democrats' prospective MPs; who knows we may get some truthful answers and straight talking.

From: Brian Hanson, Wynmore Avenue, Bramhope, Leeds.

THE country needs a strong Government with a good majority and not a hung Parliament. It will need to restore Christian principles and a right belief in marriage and family values. A sound economic policy is needed to reduce the debt and promote a good economic growth climate. The immigration policy requires a thorough overhaul as does the NHS to make it more efficient.

From: Gerald Hodgson, Spennithorne, Leyburn.

THE scaremongering about a hung Parliament is clearly ridiculous.

We are told by the Conservative Party that an election that results with no party with an overall majority will cause panic in financial markets. But financial markets do not wait for things to happen, they anticipate them.

As a minority government has moved from a possibility to a strong probability, currency and stock markets have remained entirely stable. What has caused problems is the financial downgrading on Tuesday of Greece, governed by a single party who are likely to be bailed out largely by Germany, run by a succession of coalition governments since 1945.

Superiority complex

From: Frank McManus, Longfield Road, Todmorden.

AS the possessor of a prime specimen of an unwarranted superiority complex, such as some famous independent schools tend to elicit, Nick Clegg aspires to prime ministerial power without actually averting the Liberals' run of 25 lost General Elections since their last victory a

century ago.

He proposes impossible conditions to both Gordon Brown and David Cameron; and it is to be hoped that the 30 or so smaller party MPs will be enough to favour one or the other. Or will Nick Clegg abandon his intransigence on May 7? Or will wiser Lib Dems force his hand?

Furthermore, Mr Clegg should recall that when Gladstone forced the Irish Nationals to depose Parnell from their leadership, he prolonged the Irish troubles for a full century until 1998. Labour MPs must

reject all anti-Brown ploys.

Billions for the banks

From: D Smith, Sandhill Way, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

HOW can the Government have the temerity to ask for a further term of office after having reduced the nation to penury and how can they blame this upon world affairs when we all know the housing market and the economy were stagnant before the credit crunch occurred?

To add to the malaise, Gordon Brown gave billions to the banks without us having seen a balance sheet of their assets or where the profits

from previous years have been sequestered, and then he hands us the bill to cover his incompetence.

Electoral uncertainty

From: Maurice Vassie, Cartmans Cottage, Deighton, York.

THE essence of "strong government" in a democracy is surely passing Bills which the majority of people are already minded, ready and willing to accept.

In this country we have boxed ourselves into a corner. There is no way in which a government, by a party representing no more than a third of the electorate, can confidently assume it can count on the acceptance of its decisions by enough of those that voted against it to ensure

it is acting for a majority of the population.

Those who watch or listen to Prime Minister's questions will be amazed at the rejection of coalitions on the grounds that they would lead to "politicians arguing among themselves".

For adversarial politics to work for the public good it has to be possible for legislators to be open to hear an argument and change

their mind. The current whipping system works against that.

Coalition government would produce more discussion, more careful drafting, and less legislation. Is it not possible that an awareness of that lies behind the current electoral uncertainty?

RDAs good starting point to cut government spending

From: Brian Peacock, George Lane, Notton, Wakefield.

I HATE to disagree with your views (Yorkshire Post, May 1) and those of my former boss at Northern Foods, Lord Haskin, and his eminent colleagues that Yorkshire Forward should escape revolution or the axe in any review of the Regional Development Agencies by an incoming government. Yorkshire Forward may well have done useful work, but at what cost?

Having chaired a near Government quango for some 10 years and been regularly disappointed by the input and response of the RDAs, I am convinced that an analysis of their functions will show there are

better and more cost effective ways of achieving their objectives.

Some of the RDA functions could be directed to local authorities where they rightly belong under elected scrutiny, accountability and funding, others could be commercialised or abandoned.

Admittedly, there may be a need for a small regional co-ordinating body but it should not need the substantial expense of a board of

management, staffing and plush offices.

Clearly, we are heading for a period of economic constraint and smaller government.

The RDAs are a good starting point for this sort of action, including Yorkshire Forward.

What is needed to govern

From: D Beaumont, Boroughbridge Road, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.

THE impending election needs to be viewed very seriously, especially in view of recent developments.

Is it time to be taken in by rhetoric, or the impressiveness of someone's performance in comparison with two others on the weekly shows?

Surely what is urgently needed is a government with sound economic policies, right moral and family values, openness, and a readiness to take the unpopular measures to reduce the national debt.

Dark horse is best bet

From: Peter Trevvett, Prospect Drive, Lancaster.

NOW that the TV beauty contest is over, Miss UK voter has to decide who she wants to settle down with over the next few years, and the big question is who is most likely to sort out the housekeeping?

It can't be Gordon with his dreadful record of spending money that isn't there. And telegenic young Nick does seem to have some terribly wacky ideas about finance. So this leaves Dave: he's a dark horse but he seems the best bet.

Absurdity rules

From: Jim Beck, Lindrick Grove, Tickhill, Doncaster.

THE fiasco at Rochdale illustrates that political correctness has finally reached the ultimate heights of absurdity; the issue of immigration cannot be discussed, indeed the word cannot even be uttered, without the Prime Minister flying into a rage. Gordon Brown is the bigot, not Gillian Duffy who raised this legitimate issue in a completely calm and rational manner.

Vote for Brown

From: Robert Kelly, Castle Grove Avenue, Leeds.

WITH so many non-Labour Party supporters trying to tell us who should be the leader of the party, it is worth reminding them that I, like many, many other Labour Party supporters, will vote Labour on May 6 because of Gordon Brown and not in spite of him.

Talent show

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

HOW like Tony Blair's hand movements are those of Mr Clegg. Another Britain's Got Talent contestant?