HAVING written to the Review to declare myself ‘undecided’ in the forthcoming EU referendum, I must say I was almost swayed, by John Muir’s well written, impassioned and poetic, flag waving letter to you. (Review, March 11).

I found myself following him into battle, my Union Jack billowing in the ill-winds of Europe, the fight for democracy rigid in my loins, Jerusalem echoing in my ears.

The belief that, once again, this sceptred isle will become the exclusive domain of the Anglo-Saxon.

Suddenly I thought, hang on a minute, this so-called ‘democracy’ we are fighting for is not very democratic at all.

The Tories won 331 seats in the 2015 general election, with 36 per cent of the vote, the Lib Dems got eight seats with seven per cent of the vote but UKIP only got one seat with 13 per cent of the vote.

That hardly makes the UK a pillar of democracy.

Also, successive governments have got into the habit of showing no  regard  for the electorate whatsoever until, of course, election time comes around.

We only ever hear from our MP when he is canvassing for our vote.

The lack of difference between the parties renders the democratic process redundant.

Many of our MPs see their election to parliament as an opportunity to line their own pockets, with inflation-busting pay rises, dodgy expenses (remember the duck house) and a pension portfolio, that the rest of us can only dream of.

It is a little known fact, that their recent pay rise will add another £85,000 to their pension pots.

John calls the European Parliament corrupt and outdated, but what is more corrupt and outdated than Westminster?

From ‘cash for questions’ to lobbying for multinationals, our MPs aren’t exactly a paragon of honesty.

The number of systems that have had to be set up, to keep them on the straight and narrow, is mind-boggling.

Then we have that haven of democracy, the House of Lords, which is not only unelected but thrives on cronyism.

I agree with John that democracy is sacrosanct, but it seems that, no matter who we vote for in our general elections, we just get more of the same.

Commentators in the media are labelling the EU referendum ‘once in a lifetime’ and ‘historic’.

However, there is growing evidence, that many people don’t have a clue which way to vote. 

This is because the debate has descended into the claims and counter claims, of the political elite. 

Who is right? They can’t both be.

As for me, I am still comfortably undecided.

– P Young, Chepstow.