Paucity of talent

RE: "Don't imitate US politics" (Letters, 14 March). Dr Bob Purdie is right to warn that a "presidential prime minister" would weld together the worst of the US and UK systems without their respective checks and balances.

However uninspiring the alternative may now seem, a new governing party would grow into the job. Those "floating" voters who may consider voting Labour or Liberal should be concerned that a Labour win would lead to 18 years' continuous tenure by Gordon Brown at 11 and 10 Downing Street, and in a strong position to chose his successor.

Such a long dominance of the top two Cabinet positions would be unhealthy for our democracy and would emphasise the paucity of Labour talent since John Smith's death.

John Birkett, St Andrews