Letter: Mayoral travesty

Sir: As one who may become an ordinary voter on 5 November, I am dismayed to learn that a senior minister believes that "blocking Ken would send the right message to the voters" ("Labour may ban Livingstone from race to be mayor", 3 November). Does this resemble what President Sukarno of Indonesia used to call "guided democracy"?

I would not have voted for Ken Livingstone because I believe the Liberal Democrats have the better candidate, but I thought I had a right to do so.

Earl RUSSELL

Liberal Democrat

House of Lords