Failings of democracy on home front

From: Alec Denton, Oxford Avenue, Guiseley.

YOU recently carried a report regarding the decision of the controlling Labour group on Leeds City Council not to revise their projected housing figures, in spite of these being at odds with official Government population statistics and the fact that their implementation will cause huge damage to the natural environment and quality of life across the city.

The Leeds projections are opposed by large numbers of the electors who the present council is supposed to represent and by many of our local MPs.

The council has tried to justify their exaggeration by referring to the need we all accept, for more affordable homes. Are they not aware that for many young adults there is no such thing as an affordable home in the Leeds suburbs, and that because they claim there is no profit to be made, developers refuse to build affordable homes on existing brownfield locations in the city?

This arrogance from an administration with a built-in majority and coming on top of a general election that has resulted in many thousands of Scottish voters being disenfranchised, means that the continued use of the “first past the post” system and the right to exist of the 1974 Group of undemocratic city states must now be questioned.

How dare our national leaders preach about democracy when our own version is so patently flawed?

It is a myth that “strong government” and a fair election process are mutually exclusive and I am sure that many more would connect with politics if each vote really did count.

It was also interesting that in an article in the same edition, GP Taylor ( The Yorkshire Post, May 13) was concerned about our “democratic” system and pleaded for compassion from the Conservatives.