Voting system won’t stop independence

Sir, – Two letters highlight the panic engulfing supporters of Westminster rule that Scots are in the process of throwing off London’s shackles.

Neil J Bryce’s complaint (Nation must cast off the blinkers, Courier, March 3) focuses on the disproportionate number of seats garnered by the SNP under the Westminster first past the post system.

He is followed by Jill

Stephenson (Greens give bad name to PR, Courier, March 3) complaining about the d’Hont additional member system employed at Holyrood, resulting in Green Party representation under the party list component of that system.

Both methods are of Westminster’s choosing and were deemed acceptable when Scots sent a unionist majority to both parliaments.

Mr Bryce apparently has no objection to a Conservative 80-seat Westminster majority based on a 43.6% share of the vote.

Similarly, Ms Stephenson, a Conservative supporter, bemoaning six Green Party Holyrood list seats, makes no such judgment regarding her own party’s 24 additional members, adding to their seven constituency places.

A distant second to the SNP’s 59 first past the post constituency tally.

This selective and dishonest approach by London acolytes will no doubt continue.

Blinkered and uncomprehending, they fail to realise that Scotland and England are heading in different directions, with independence for both countries the natural outcome, no matter the voting systems used. Ken Clark. c/o 15 Thorter Way, Dundee.