LETTER: Humility might be called for

In the 2014 European elections, Party A (UKIP) got 4.4 million votes, 27% of the votes cast, and received 24 seats out of 73. In the General Election of 2015 UKIP got 3.8 million votes, 12.6% of the votes cast and 1 seat out of 650.

The EU system much more closely mirrors the people’s votes. UKIP, had the system been more fair, “should” have had 80 MPs in 2015. Choosing legislators in all democracies can be criticised.

How about leaders? In the 2016 US leadership election, Hilary Clinton got 48% of the popular vote but only 42% of electoral college votes and Trump became president. In 2016 no UK elector chose our current leader. The UK never chooses its leader in a national vote as they do in France.

There is no EU leader – the closest is the President of the European Commission chosen by the leaders of the Nation States (there are some issues as to how those leaders are chosen) and approved by the European Parliament – elected by the people through a system designed to enable representation of multiple voices – avoiding the tyranny of the largest minority (that old British favourite).

Some humility and reflection might be called for.

Teresa O’Brien

Corsica Close

Seaford