SIR - I see the Government is somewhat perturbed at the lack of voters going to the polls and, in an attempt to improve matters, have suggested giving the vote to 16-year-olds, as an early introduction to politics.

What a load of rubbish! What 16-year-old has lived long enough and experienced enough to make any sort of political judgement?

I was first against the reduction in age from 21 to 18, and am still of the opinion that they are not au fait with politics.

The original reduction in age was engineered by Harold Wilson, not to give the 18-year-olds the vote per se, but in the hope that they would vote labour, and I have no reason to think that this is not a similar ploy.

However, if the politicians want people to vote, then the answer is simple. Listen to the public and act upon it, then they will feel that there is something to vote for.

As it is now, the feeling is why bother?' - and quite rightly so.

A G Goldsbrough, Dale Court, Fieldway, Ilkley