Issues facing the Government

That 32 per cent weren’t bothered is shameful.

That the massed socialist opposition of Labour/Lib-Dems/Greens would still fail to beat the incumbent Tory if UKIP’s pan-party votes were spread proportionately across the political spectrum, shows Amber Rudd fairly won the majority (Letters/Rye View 15/5/15).

For all its faults First Past the Post brings stable government, whereas PR coalitions stymie progress (Belgium had no government for a record 541 days) and discriminates against free-minded Independents.

Labour favours FPTP and opposes the necessary boundary changes which would benefit the Tories!

No system is perfect. But if no candidate achieves 51 per cent, then a costly French-style run-off between the top two is a sensible Hobson’s Choice between the lesser of two evils.

The petulant Lib-Dem’s AV PR system was soundly rejected because AV encourages devious tactical voting, pre-empting a second, predetermined count.

That is undemocratic. For government at Westminster to succeed, it must be an honourable debating chamber of mature politicians, who evolve over time, but PR coalitions encourage self-interested, opportunist minority misfits to wag the government’s tail.

That is undemocratic and dangerous.

Our biggest test of democracy will be the EU in/out referendum.

Without an open, honest, adult debate (long denied us) and, crucially, a multi-question or follow-up referendum, a single question referendum will be a sham.

We must be asked: 1 - Do we wish to remain in a supranational, wholly political Union (The EU, by definition - the Tory’s choice)? Yes/No?

2 - if ‘No’, should we seek to restore the EEC Custom Union and recover competences, knowing the EU will never allow any Treaty change?

3 - or leave the political EU and engage in non-political, mutually beneficial Free Trade agreements with the EU and the free world of 165 nations under the UN’s WTO rules?

If the Tories/Labour/Lib-Dems/Greens truly believe in democracy, then the electorate must be allowed that meaningful debate and choice over our relationship with the political EU.

That is democracy.

Barry M Jones,

Bixley Lane,

Beckley,

Rye