I am grateful to former Labour Cabinet Minister Chris Smith for confirming in a recent TV interview the central and deadly flaw in "democracy" or "elective dictatorship".

Namely, that the amalgamation of the government and the House of Commons through the party system makes it virtually impossible for enough party MPs to vote against their government on issues of national importance such as going to war.

To have done so would be to have run the risk of dismissing themselves - as subtle and as great a dis-incentive to doing a proper job of controlling government as any Machiavelli could devise.

According to Mr Smith, the Prime Minister "interviewed" the backsliders and asked them if they wanted a change of regime in Iraq or in Westminster; clear confirmation of my claim above.

But, before the Conservatives preen their feathers with righteous indignation, one should recall Mr Heath using similar threats of dissolution to bring into line the anti-EC rebels.

But why fall on your sword if you know there are sufficient "yes-men" on the other side of the House willing to do as they are told?

What is the point in voting?

Voters will remain helpless onlookers until they decide to help restore

our legal constitution which entails the separation of the House of Commons from Government by voting for Independent MPs.

When the Commons is free of party whips and disentangled from Government then a government may fall but the Commons remains in place, re-empowered to do its job properly, which is to protect our liberty.

Martin Cruttwell,

Hamilton House,

Scrayingham,

York.

Updated: 10:49 Monday, April 28, 2003