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Des Morgan was quite right about the local elections in Swindon proving nothing and the views of the voters not necessarily being reflected in the council make up. He was also right about the election of only one third of the councillors being the cause of this possible discrepancy. I would go further though.

If the turn out was vastly larger in Labour Party wards than in Tory wards, or vice versa, a majority party could be returned with a minority of the votes.

It can be difficult to find out the views of candidates. I could not find out whether the candidates in my ward were in favour of the canal or not, as they had not been instructed by their parties how they would vote on this.

I would offer a possible solution. An elected mayor, elected by the same system as the London mayor. Whether one agrees with the voters choice in London or not, they have decided and have done so with a 10 per cent larger turn out than in Swindon. They could ask the candidates what their policies and opinions were and the candidates could not hide behind their parties. The majority of voters in London decided they did not like the policies Ken Livingstone had while he was in power, so they ousted him.

If in four years time they do not like what Boris Johnson has done then they will oust him. An unpopular directly elected mayor cannot hide in a seat that is safe for one of his or her party, they and all his policies are exposed to the will whole of the electorate.

I make no judgement, in this letter, about any party in Swindon my only point being, that only a directly elected mayor can be truly democratic.

Steve Thompson Norman Road Swindon

9:33am Monday 12th May 2008

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