SIR - I found it fascinating reading the comments on my letter (We are losing faith in our democracy, Craven Herald letters, January 24) and would like to raise a few points.

My letter to the Craven Herald did not mention the First World War but mentioned the 2018 Remembrance Day where the country paid tribute to those soldiers from America, the Commonwealth and Britain who gave their lives so that we could retain our freedom.

As a sovereign state free of the European Union our Parliament could make all our laws and manage our resources for the benefit of the country. As part of the EU with 27 other countries this is impossible as we are a tiny part of that group and only have minimal influence.

If the (ruling) elite of the country being embarrassed of being British, they should maybe go and live in Brussels and stop knocking Britain. I for one am proud to be British and want to be governed by a British Parliament not the EU and Brussels. The elite should take a look at the damage caused to countries in the EU especially Greece which has lost a whole generation of young people that has been deprived of jobs and their future. Italy may be the next if it challenges the EU over its budget problems.

Proportional Representation is a remote exercise as the electorate cannot vote for a candidate of their choice but only for a political party. When the votes are counted nationally the percentage gained by each party is divided into the total number of MPs and each party gets its allocated number of MPs which will then be distributed around the country to the various constituencies. You will then be told the name of your member of Parliament. There will be many other permutations for allocations. This process removes the electorate from the run up to the election as they do not have candidates vying to be their MP.

A generation ago our members of Parliament used to work their way up from district and county councils and metropolitan councils serving their communities for several years whilst others went through the trade union route. This apprenticeship was very thorough and ensured all prospective candidates understood their electorate and the problems they faced, unlike today where many go straight from university as political aides or assistants and rise through the Westminster bubble until their party gives them a constituency to fight. These MPs when elected know only Westminster and will have difficulty understanding their constituents and their problems.

R. Nicholson.

Park Drive

Sutton-in-Craven