IT WAS certainly good to see that John Power has moved so much nearer the sane, conservative roots of his forebears.

Bravo! This leads me to wonder if he’s been carrying out a cerebral affair with Edmund Burke.

Whatever, let’s hope it’s one step forward, not two steps back.

But is his view of proportional representation in sync with the times?

He indicates that once you buy into PR systems there’ll follow endless disruption; presumably Muslim parties, Respect, Greens, the BNP and National Front all gaining some advantage; even ‘crank’ minorities would grow. Apart from elections, does our constitution still make complete sense in today’s world? What about constituency boundaries? Would these and other institutions require revision?

Unfortunately, Brussels makes the running, and orders are orders; but think about PR after Turkey’s admission.

Those in favour of PR will argue that it does possess considerable social-developmental logic within the framework of a putatively broadening multicultural democracy.

If Mr Power desired curtailment of the disastrous multi-cultural experiment, a British withdrawal from an unwinnable Afghan War, ditto the EU, and investigation of election fraud, which would all be in the best interest of Britain, I for one would support him.

He was not alone on the long, rocky path to relative understanding. Many of us share his probable anguish and frustration.

STEPHEN WARD, Tudor Close, Oxford