Letter: Why peers must go

Sir: It is proving very difficult for me to work out why the Conservative Party is opposed to a closed list system of voting for the forthcoming European elections.

The Conservative Party supports first past the post, which is a closed party system. I have recently been selected to my local panel of Labour prospective candidates to stand in the May local elections under first past the post. I will then go before a local branch of my party to be selected as a candidate. This process is controlled by the party with no participation of the wider electorate, nor does first past the post involve the electorate listing who they want to vote for in order of preference. They only put a cross by the name of the party candidate that they wish to support. Surely this is a closed system of voting?

If the Conservative Party is so keen on an open party system of voting they should be arguing for a different voting system to first past the post.

MATTHEW RAVENHILL

Taunton, Somerset