IT is generally held that members of Parliament are elected to express the opinions of the people. Today modern party politicians use powerful persuasion to reverse this idea, they seek the endorsement of the people for their own opinions.

They may occasionally have to suck up to the people, but they can safely ignore them between elections.

The economy is the great talking pont for politicians, each of the major parties can produce an upturn and improve life everywhere if the voter will only give them the chance.

Hence we the voters struggle to tell the difference between the three mighty parties.

They know what's best for us. We should be all "middle of the road", and they have a good range of abuse for those who are not: loony left, far right, nationalist, racist elitist, etc and patriotism is a useful red rag to wave when people think of "fortress Britain", or are anti-Europe, or fear the power of America.

If democracy were true there would be a greater diversity of representatives in Parliament. But independent opinions are not for today's world; better by far we all go into the melting pot of globalisation. The standardisation of everything is so much more helpful to market forces.

We are to laugh at or condemn the so-called "fringe parties", for they are independent and committed to a political principal; they offer choice without the persuasion of massive publicity.

We should all make up our own minds to vote for what we truly believe is right and good for us. We must make sure our vote is not wasted.

It is the only democratic act we are allowed to make, and it is a long time between elections.

Alan Cochrane,

Richmond Close,

Market Weighton,

York.

Updated: 09:29 Monday, April 25, 2005