Your letters plus two nostalgic pictures from 1982

Voting, flags and the colour of buses - Your letters plus two nostalgic pictures from 1982

Mrs Helen James, Mrs Lynne Rathmell, Mrs Carol Ewels, Mrs Helen Rogers (chairman), and Mrs Chris Burton at Hanwood Ladies’ Club annual dinner at the Beauchamp Hotel, Shrewsbury, on January 28, 1982 | MNA

placeholder image — Mrs Helen James, Mrs Lynne Rathmell, Mrs Carol Ewels, Mrs Helen Rogers (chairman), and Mrs Chris Burton at Hanwood Ladies’ Club annual dinner at the Beauchamp Hotel, Shrewsbury, on January 28, 1982 | MNA

Voting system is not working

If there's something May's local elections made clear, it's that Britain's voting system is not working. In Wolverhampton, Reform UK got 34.2 per cent of the vote but won around 57 per cent of the seats.

This picture dated May 21, 1982, features amateur actor Arthur Dunn who turned his thespian skills into a new career - as a hell-fire preacher for the Black Country Museum. Arthur, aged 59, also played village doctor and chemist in the replica village in Tipton Road, Dudley. | Local Library

Similarly distorted results were seen in councils across the country.

However you voted, I think we can all agree: this doesn't seem right.

But this is what happens when five or more parties compete under a system built for two. At the 2024 general election, Labour won a landslide majority with just 34 per cent of the vote.

Unless we change the system, 2029 could deliver a government with even less public support — or one formed by a party most of us actively voted against.

Most of the world's stable democracies use forms of Proportional Representation. This means that the proportion of votes a party wins translates fairly to the number of seats it gets.

It's never been more evident that First Past the Post is not fit for purpose. It's time to replace it.

Mercedes Fonfria, Midlands

Reform win is democracy

David Murray claims 'Reform UK put democracy at risk'.

He needs to realise that Reform UK is democracy in action (as opposed to 'democracy inaction' practised by other parties) .

After many decades of the 'uniparty' (Labour + Tories) taking it in turns to govern UK and completely ignore the wishes of voters, there is a new kid in town. Despite promising to cut immigration before they were elected both the Tories and Labour have massively increased it. The massive defeat of the 'uniparty' in Thursdays Council and Hollyrood and Senned elections has relegated the 'uniparty' to ' political also-rans' and rightly so. Starmer promised to smash the gangs and fix the foundations in 2024 instead the number of illegals being welcomed and allowed to stay in UK has skyrocketed, Boris promised to reduce immigration, but the 'Boris wave' made a mockery of that.

Chris Smith, Horsehay

Pick a colour that’s on time!

Regarding the rebranding of our bus services and the question as to what colour our new buses might be.

Can I first ask the question, which colour will make our buses run more effectively and get to the stops and the stations on time?

Which colour will stop youngsters very kindly sharing their tastes in loud music with the rest of us?

And which colour would be the best for curbing bad language?Whatever that colour is, could we have it please!Alan Jones, Halesowen,

Losing Our Green Fields

Like your correspondent, I too despair at the countrywide loss of our green fields, not only in Muxton but countrywide.In 1960.

I lived in Muxton and witnessed the erosion of fertile agricultural land in this area. Further down the road we have the Gaily Rail Hub, now under construction, having destroyed five farms, some 700/800 acres, including the Dairy Farm when aged seven,was my home, and soon to be demolished.

A proposed link off the M54 to the M6.Northbound, and proposed development at Tong Village, are all through rich agricultural land, and will bring a subsequent increase in population. Perhaps the well known cliche ‘Food for Thought’ should be ammended to ‘A Thought For Food’.

Stephen Bridgwater, Shrewsbury