Letter: Shocked by this farcical election

Sir: As a 19-year-old I will be voting for the first time and I want to make an informed choice. Foolishly, I thought one of the best ways to do this would be to watch the party election broadcasts on the television and discover what the parties had to offer.

Instead I find a slanging match. When I thought things couldn't get any worse I discovered that a "chicken" had been stalking Tony Blair. (Isn't there a law against that sort of thing?)

The 1997 election is a farce, which does not bode well for the next four years, no matter which party is victorious.

GILLIAN MARY BUZZARD

Leeds