Simplistic view

Councillor Beryl Francis takes far too simplistic a view of our election process.

Firstly, to assume which party a person voted for last week determined whether they were Remainers or Brexiteers, is so wrong.

I am a Tory who voted to remain in 2016.

It never crossed my mind to change parties because I believe in democracy and accepted the majority decision of the people.

I am sure many Labour and other voters did the same thing.

For the last 20 years I have spent all of polling day driving round the constituency visiting polling stations.

When people see my blue rosette, their facial expressions and body language give me a good idea of how they are voting.

This time, many of those that stopped to speak to me made it clear that they simply wanted to get Brexit over with, either way!

I would be stupid to believe that they will all vote for the same party at the next election.

Conservatives will have to fully address the general problems of our society to keep that level of support.

Boris Johnson certainly understands that. London is principally Labour territory but Boris won two successive Mayoral elections there because he is very politically astute!

As for PR, that is how we have been voting at European elections.

Our local MEPs represent, not a constituency, but the whole of the South East of England and are chosen, in proportion, from a list of candidates. We would not be voting for a specific person who lives in Havant or Portsmouth North.

In countries with PR, the majority of governments are usually coalition and do not last very long. I do not believe the majority of Brits would support that.

What I particularly noticed last week was that very few Havant councillors showed their faces at polling stations, especially in Leigh Park where once Labour was very strong. You take the electorate for granted at your peril! Steven Schrier President, Havant Conservative Association