Democratic irony

What a lovely piece of ironic juxtaposition there was in the Letters columns on Thursday (26 February).

Right above another letter from Roger Cartwright extolling the virtues of the Westminster parliament, we have a number of letters dealing with the greed, venality and gullibility of two of its most experienced operators, who fell for a tired old trick which has been used many times before.

Dr Cartwright also decries the lack of a second chamber in Scotland, while at Westminster we have a completely unelected body of Lords there because of heredity or patronage who are trying to prevent 16- and 17-year-olds in Scotland from having the vote. It’s an odd kind of democracy with its antiquated first-past the post voting system. It’s quaint, but hardly functional.

Douglas Turner

Derby Street

Edinburgh