Size matters

Lesley Riddoch (Opinion, 5 July) scorns the Tories' plan to reduce "unfairness" (her inverted commas) by equalising the size of our constituencies and says they may try to "stuff this controversial move deep inside the AV bill".

Why controversial? Of course unequal constituencies are unfair (the Western Isles with 22,000 voters, and the Isle of Wight with 100,000), even under PR systems, and in first-past-the-post are akin to 18th-century rotten boroughs.

With modern communications and sensible local government, large rural constituencies should not pose the problems of prior years, and the depopulation of inner cities does not justify their over-representation in parliament.

Representation is based on people, not geography.

JOHN BIRKETT

Horseleys Park

St Andrews