Fair description

If the Gould enquiry into the Scottish Elections deems "Alex Salmond for First Minister" misleading (your report, 24 October), then it is no more so than the use of the "Scottish" prefix by the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties as there are no such parties registered with the Electoral Commission.

If only registered political party names can be used on the ballot in future, these parties will have to form and register separate Scottish parties and maintain and report on the proper source of their funding and other electoral support from telephone call centres etc from outwith Scotland.

That might even result in a level playing field.

CALUM STEWART

Montague Street

Edinburgh

Immediately that the Gould report comes out on the conduct of the elections in May this year, the blame game starts. Let it not be forgotten that the system devised for the local government elections by the Scottish Parliament was designed with three or four member wards to favour the four major parties.

Scottish parliamentarians ignored the advice given to the local government committee by political scientists that under the single transferable vote system five or larger member wards would be fairer to the smaller parties.

NORMAN BONNEY

Palmerston Place

Edinburgh

Everyone to blame but nobody accepting blame. I understand former prime minister Neil Kinnock was involved with the company supplying the electronic counting machines that had a part in contributing to the shambles. As the machines were not fit for purpose has the government been refunded for the contract?

SHEILA CLARK

Dean Park Crescent

Edinburgh