Vote for change

At this time of critical interest in a voting system for the future based on the fundamentally democratic notion of PR, it is salutary to reflect on what might have happened in Scotland if the single transferable vote had been deployed last week.

According to the Electoral Reform Society, Labour would have won 28 seats, the SNP 13 seats, the Lib Dems would, ironically, have been unchanged at 11, and the Conservatives would have risen to seven.

So, clearly, the main beneficiaries would have been the SNP with almost double their seats, while the Tories would have secured a much more respectable return. Conversely, the Labour hegemony of the Central Belt would have been significantly diluted – from 41 to 28.

This method manifestly reflects voting intentions in a much more demonstrably valid way and will be the modus vivendi of the future. As to the blurring of the supposed link between constituent and MP, what a load of tosh.

By the way, under alterntive vote there is almost no change compared with first past the post.

MARION ANDERSON

Station Road

Langank