HOW people like John Tomblin [20 December] and Richard Denton-White [27 December] can believe that some form of proportional representation in a General Election would usher in an era of open, creative and fair governments by coalition beggars belief.

The squabbling and muddle in Parliament leading up to the decision to hold a General Election shows that parties, big or small, find it hard to agree on anything.

Moreover one has only to look at many European countries to see the paralysis and constant elections that such a system engenders.

I appreciate that if one’s own political beliefs fail to win an election under the first-past-the-post system, then you are going to attack the system itself. Our present electoral system is flawed but on the whole it works.

Politics is not an elevated occupation but I think one has to take the pragmatic view.

Finally I do not understand Mr Denton-White’s objection to photo-ID at elections.

I am not sure how an ID card, issued free to those without any existing photo-ID, can be anything but a good thing.

Richard Samways

Albert Terrace

Portland