Letter: The big flaw in British democracy

Letter: D McDermott, Shropshire Star, February 24, complains that his MP Mark Pritchard voted for the Government when the issue of selling our forests was debated.

Sadly, that is simply the way our style of democracy works.

If an MP is a party member and he wants to one day become a cabinet member then he must follow the party line and vote as he is told to vote.

There is no doubt our voting system's greatest downfall is having a party whip and not having free votes. As long as we have parties voted for by the electorate rather than the best person to represent the area the system will not change.

Very few independents standing for election are voted into Parliament because for some reason most people vote for someone who is a party member by habit rather than because that person best represents their interest.

So, no matter how hard MPs work on local matters nor how successful they are in their endeavours they still have to toe the party line.

What is missing off the voting slip and of course will never be seen is a space for "Non of the above".

Michael Wilkinson

Telford