Electoral reform
Sir: The desire of Sheila Donaldson (10 April) to make our parliamentary system responsive to majority opinion does her credit, but I submit that the very factors Which make the system undemocratic also render primaries almost irrelevant.
The rise in power of the central party organisation is due to the present overwhelming influence of party policy, enforced by the whip, on the individual member. This, and the new power of the media to put party policies directly to the electorate, have resulted in the lack of interest of the electorate in individual MPs which is responsible for the selection of candidates of the 'wrong colour'. I am sure that if the major parties were aware of more people of Ms Donaldson's persuasion they would not only choose candidates more appealing to their local party, but might also undertake experimental primaries, as' did the Conservatives at Lambeth, Vauxhall. Incidentally, despite the publicity, the latter meeting attracted pitifully few members.
As for 'free' participation, Ms Donaldson Should consider whether the taxpayer should be asked to double the expense of an election for this dubious privilege. If the Parties themselves are to pay for a double Posting, it seems fair that only those who support the parties financially should have the benefit. There is nothing to stop Ms Donaldson subscribing to the Conservatives, Labour, Liberals, National Front, Communist Party, and SNP if she wishes, and voting for none of them at the election.
Since it is parties that interest the elector most, it is in the choice between parties that our electoral system must be reformed. Our sYstem is unresponsive to the majority because it enables us to be ruled by a party with the support of less than 30 per cent of the electorate, and a whipping system forcing to rubber-stamp policies having less than 10 per cent of popular support. ProPortional representation would give us a stronger and more stable government, because it represented the majority. This is the important issue at stake, and the active democrat should not be sidetracked by schemes that will not make the slightest difference to it.
Hugo Page CAER (Conservative Action for Electoral Reform), 6 Queen Street, London W1
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