Letter: Mystery candidates

Sir: I have just seen the London voting paper for the European parliamentary election. On a swift count it consists of 11 parties each with 10 candidates, one party with eight candidates and three individuals each ploughing a lonely furrow. In all, 121 hopeful candidates.

But all the information we get about any of them is their names; from which we can hazard a guess at their sex. The only one I have ever heard of is Arthur Scargill. We know not their ages, their qualifications, if any, their views on Europe, the health service or education. There is a wide divergence of opinion within both major parties on all these issues. I may well vote for a candidate who represents my party but is strongly opposed to my own views.

Might there not be some modest financial saving if we gave each party a coloured ball with a number on it, and made this election in law what it is in fact - a lottery.

GRAHAM DON

London E3