Tuesday's Letters: Party's role makes a mockery of democracy

But I have never felt able to turn to the Liberal Party, now the

Liberal Democrats, because of its longstanding support of a proportional representation system of voting and, more recently, its seemingly uncritical support of the EU and the euro.

I am unhappy with the latter and have always been strongly opposed to PR. I feel that in almost every election "first past the post" produces the strongest form of government. PR will inevitably produce coalition government with all the weakening compromises that entails.

In the election last Thursday, the party I voted for obtained an overwhelming majority of the votes cast and seats gained. Because this did not produce an overall majority, it would seem probable that the minority party, now calling all the shots, will be able to force through some form of amendment to the voting system. Is this democracy?

From: Dennis Johnson, Bramham.

Disgrace of poll fiasco

From: Steve Barnard, Green Party former candidate Sheffield Hallam, Myrtle Road, Sheffield.

THE scenes on election day in Ranmoor, Sheffield, were a disgrace. It is hard to believe that in modern Britain that people were segregated and some given preference over others to vote. Many of those who could not get in the polling station were experiencing their first election – no wonder they feel so let down.

It should never have happened. The Sheffield City Council basically admitted that it was unable to cope with most of the population voting, which is our democratic right. It had no back-up plan for a large turnout.

It was obvious early in the day that the turnout across Sheffield, in particular Hallam and Central, was high. There should have been a contingency. But there was no plan B and so many were let down by an inadequate and anti-democratic response from the council.

It was interesting to hear Nick Clegg criticise the way that the election was run in Sheffield Hallam. He is the national leader of the Liberal Democrats, his party were in control of Sheffield City Council when the crucial decisions were made in the planning of this election.

The Liberal Democrats' campaign in the city and the publicity Mr Clegg received due to the TV leaders' debates ensured a large turnout – something they knew the city's election office was badly prepared for.

Scotland's free hand

From: Paul Charlson, Westfield Park, Brough.

THE election result told us a number of things. Firstly, England is a Conservative country and Scotland is not. The West Lothian question has become even more important with the increasing autonomy of the Scottish Parliament.

Personally I have nothing against the Scots and have always been a Unionist. Many are clamouring for constitutional reform – perhaps this should include virtual independence for Scotland. Scotland can then have the government that it voted for and the English will no longer have to differentially fund free university places, nursing home care and cheaper prescription charges in Scotland through the Barnett

formula.

These are all good things but are simply unaffordable for England. It would also solve the West Lothian question.

Facts and policies

From: G Ellison, Hawthorn Avenue, Dronfield.

ANOTHER General Election gone, and again the majority of the electorate have voted for more mass immigration, pro EU and job losses – as all three major parties are for all three.

Expect more statistics on how great things are and how migration is needed and, of course, falling unemployment.

When enough is enough

From: Ravinder Sokhal, Huddersfield.

SKILLED immigration is not the problem; it's about the mass influx of asylum seekers and EU migrants that are changing the face of Britain as we know it.

My parents came to this country from India in the 1960s when their

skills were needed.

They didn't receive handouts from the government like asylum seekers who are just a drain on resources. They contributed to the British economy and still do.

Enough is enough. We need to make Britain a stronger country, not an overcrowded and weak society.

Public treated like idiots

From: Stanley Parr, Maple Avenue, Pershore, Worcs.

THE General Election appears to have been "a fix", or at best, highly manipulated.

There were at least seven parties, from which one could choose, but the TV and media chose only to allow us three and devoted excessive air time to US style presidential elections – this is not democracy, it's brainwashing and scare tactics.

They treated the public like idiots – and so we are, for tolerating this treatment. I am not alone in thinking like this and the politicians offhand treatment of the electorate may well backfire on them.

No mandate for Cameron

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Littlefield Lane, Grimsby.

CONSIDERING the personal campaign against Gordon Brown, Labour did well to get 29 per cent in the depths of an economic recession that wasn't of their causing. And with just 36 per cent of the poll, there is no way that David Cameron can claim he has a popular mandate for his kind of Conservatism.

Loyalty to Labour

From: Brian Wilkinson, Burdale Close, Norton on Derwent.

DENIS MacShane's article (Yorkshire Post, May 10) was a true and loyal party member's attempt to convince the rest of the world that his party was, at the end of the day, next door to infallible in spite of the situation it has landed the us all in – what a hope.

Force's hard work in investigating child abuse case

From: Tim Hollis, Chief Constable, Humberside Police.

I WRITE in response to your editorial piece (Yorkshire Post, May 10) as I was somewhat startled to see your use of the word "glibness" in the overview of Humberside Police's activities with regard to a child abuse inquiry, Operation Aldgate.

It shows a surprising disregard for the tragic victims of this incident and for the hard work of my officers in dealing with the traumatic events which these victims underwent. You will notice that I

concentrate on the word victims, not one of whom lodged a complaint against the force for either their treatment or indeed the

investigation. In fact, at the time the force received praise from a number of them.

It should be clearly explained to your readers that the complaints made against the force, 80 of which were discounted, were all made by individuals who had been under investigation as suspected

perpetrators. Humberside Police conducted a thorough investigation, which was commended by the trial judge.

Evidence was gathered which the Crown Prosecution Service deemed sufficient to warrant five prosecutions but, following the sad death of

a key witness and others deciding not to testify, some prosecutions did not proceed to trial.

The trial which did take place resulted in a conviction in relation to 14 sexual assaults and what was a substantial sentence of 14 years.

In scrutinising the investigation several years later, it is perhaps inevitable that errors were identified. Building on this information, numerous changes were made to how we investigate such complex and sensitive complaints both as a force and nationally as a police service.

We went on public record to indicate that there were failings on our

part but we positively addressed those issues long before the final

IPPC report was published.

This took an extraordinary five years, during which time as a force we were unable to comment on the issues being investigated.

Quango must be open to account

From: Bob Watson, Springfield Road, Baildon, Shipley.

I NOTE that a group of the region's leading businessmen called for the retention of Yorkshire Forward, the Government quango, after the General Election (Yorkshire Post, May 1).

It is indeed true that this organisation has done much good, and their request is certainly worthy of consideration. However, your editorial comment that Yorkshire Forward should be retained in a reformed way is most apt.

The main problem with this quango is that it is so utterly unanswerable to the taxpayer (who indirectly pays its wages).

It can plough its own furrow, totally disregarding alternative opinion, as we have seen on more than one occasion in Bradford, with no proper ability to be called to account. This has to change.

Paradise on our doorstep

From: Don Booker, Hall Place, Monk Bretton, Barnsley.

LOCALLY and nationally, we seem to have been smothered by politics and the best things in life have been pushed aside.

From Barnsley, I took a train to Leeds and then went from the city on that wonderful train journey to Carlisle. It was one of the most memorable journeys I have taken, and I have visited 56 countries.

The beauty of Switzerland, Austria and Italy came to mind as the train travelled through the Yorkshire Dales, bathed in sunshine, with the peaks still covered with snow and newborn lambs everywhere.

It was stunning and refreshing, and the whole world seemed a better

place. We have it on our doorstep.

Piercing ban

From: Alan Marsden, Pledwick Lane, Sandal, Wakefield.

WITH reference to the article (Yorkshire Post, May 4), about a girl who had her tongue pierced, unless required for medical reasons, body

piercing and tattooing should be banned for anybody under 18.

Like for like

From: Iain Morris, Caroline Street, Saltaire.

IF we in Saltaire in the City of Bradford Metropolitan District can be recognised as a World Heritage Site, surely the City of York can be as well (Yorkshire Post, May 3).