Letter: Vote for Jenkins

Sir: Sarah Schaefer may find it worthy of note that Jack Straw supports first-past-the-post while other cabinet members like Robin Cook and Mo Mowlam support electoral reform ("Straw vows to oppose vote reform", 6 November).

However, their positions have been staked out in public for many years. The purpose of an Independent Commission and a national referendum is to promote an informed debate and discussion amongst those who have not made up their minds, indeed those who have never even thought about the issue.

When we come to vote on whether to change the electoral system for the House of Commons, Jack Straw's vote will count the same as mine, yours, or anyone else's. If the Cabinet really is split down the middle as you claim, on the day of the referendum they may as well all stay at home rather than voting to cancel each other out.

PAUL RICHARDS

London W6