I was disappointed in the Conservative MP for Ryedale with his pre-emptive attack on the publication of the Jenkins report (October 29).

This report on electoral reform has many virtues and others in need of reasoned argument. He complains that the money on this review is wasted and if implemented second class MPs would be elected.

He supported rail privatisation at a loss of millions of pounds to the tax payer according to the independent audit office; he was party to BSE crisis exasperated by the then ruling Conservative party again costing millions of pounds; the Poll tax, ERM fiasco and the list goes on.

Mr Greenway and his Conservative party are no strangers to wasting our money.

The Jenkins report recommends that the number of constituency MPs should be reduced (presently many have other part time jobs including our own representative). Clearly it is not considered by some to be a full-time occupation.

A common anomaly currently exists under the first-past-the-post system resulting in many people entering Parliament with a minority of their constituents' support.

At the last election the voters in Ryedale rejected Mr Greenway and the majority voted for Keith Orrel, the Liberal Democrat and the Labour candidate.A cynic may suggest that second class MPs already exist.

Andrew Dale,

Southgate House,

Pickering.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.