Sir John Hayes’ column (The Voice, July 25) is generously written with respect to those of other political persuasions, but I find it difficult to accept his assertion that an MP elected under our present first-past-the-post election system truly represents everyone in the constituency.
That is not the fault of the MP: he has his own political views of how things should be done, and generally supports the corresponding views of the party to which he belongs.
Sir John, for instance, (just to take a couple of examples) has supported the Conservative party in progressively allowing the NHS to fall into a regrettable state, and has supported the move to Brexit, which has damaged our economic performance and reduced the strength of our influence in the world.
He was entitled to make those choices and, in doing so, clearly had the support of voters who wished for those things to happen. But he absolutely was not representing me and the many others in the constituency who had different views.
Our voting system is simple and easy to understand, but it does not result in a Parliament which fairly represents the spread of views in society. The great majority of European countries have systems which are fairer in that respect, and which are not, after all, that difficult to understand.
So I would wish Sir John well, but ask him as he pursues what he believes to be right, not to claim that he is representing all his constituents in doing so.
John Tippler
Spalding
