SIR Mrs Dorothy Holmes (T&A, May 5) is absolutely right when she calls for a modern voting system for English local government elections, although I would go further and advocate this also for national elections. It simply cannot be right that a large percentage of the population are unrepresented in our government.

Spokesmen for the old parties are wheeled out after each election and talk about how concerned they are that such a very small percentage of the people actually bothered to vote.

In reality they want to keep the status quo, any talk of proportional representation would throw a spanner in New Labour and the Tories unofficial coalition, they are hanging on to power only by their negative campaigning "vote for us or you will get them".

People have suggested that to improve voter turnout we should fine people who do not vote, as they do in Australia.

I do not agree that people should be forced to vote. This would not only legitimise the old parties but would also legitimise our archaic voting system.

Jason Smith, UKIP Bradford Chairman, Town Gate, Wyke.