Democratic irony

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