Parliamentary voting would be so much more effective if it was done digitally

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

MPs at the customs vote in the House of Commons (PA)

Isn’t it about time there was some mechanism for voting electronically at all levels, especially in the House of Commons? The recent vilification of Vince Cable and Tim Farron for not “turning up” to vote in parliament on Tuesday, and the fact Tory MP Brandon Lewis “forgot” he had been “paired” with Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson – who is on maternity leave – and voted when he should not have done to give the government an extra vote, shows the system is flawed and there is no honour among MPs.

The only way to rectify the system is to provide an online voting app – perhaps something like the app which allows payment of bills at the touch of a digital signature. After all, if I can perform multiple complicated transactions through my bank by logging in, then how easy would it be to write similar, secure software to give MPs a simple “yes/no” voting option? This would also remove the need for the unreliable and outdated “pairing system” – which cancels out opposing votes – and would allow MPs to be absent from the House but still vote on important matters.

It is interesting 14 Labour MPs were absent on Tuesday but their non-appearance has not been publicly called into question. If they had been present, or able to vote electronically, the government would have probably been defeated.

In today’s digital world I wonder why we continue to support old fashioned systems such as voting and debating in person? There really is no reason why debates could not be conducted via teleconference, which would have allowed Ms Swinson, who gave birth two weeks ago, to get involved. It’s time to bring parliament into the 21st century.

Linda Johnson
Beverley

It’s ridiculous that there’s no consequence for lying politicians

It is quite remarkable Eloise Todds’ article in Wednesday’s Independent (Vote Leave scandal shows democracy is in desperate need of defending) is the first time to my knowledge any columnist at The Independent has made the point that the ease with which MPs are able to tell lies to support their personal desires is doing real damage to our democratic system – this must be brought to an end.

Way back on the 7 June 2016, The Independent printed my letter “The EU referendum is turning statesmen into snake oil sellers”. This letter made the point about how leading politicians were using outright lies to hoodwink the electorate into supporting their Brexit campaign, with simply no disciplinary procedure for them to worry about. It was perfectly clear then that this total lack of standards or accountability was likely to result in real harm being done to the electorate – the very people that our politicians are supposed to help prosper and lead better lives.

Had there been a meaningful campaign at this early stage to provide the committee on standards in public life with new instructions in this regard – with the power to properly punish wrongdoers – a second people’s vote, as suggested in the article, might have a decent chance of producing a sensible result based upon the provision of solely factual, truthful knowledge upon which the electorate could reach their verdict. However I now fear any second referendum would again be swayed by those who put their own narrow and divisive desires ahead of doing their duty.

David Curran
Feltham

Eloise Todd writes democracy needs defending and discusses campaign spending as well as making passing references to hacking and “the Trumpisation of politics”.

More attention should be given to the latter: that politicians – on both sides – can lie without consequence. There should be a meaningful deterrent to ensure politicians cannot knowingly mislead the electorate. Without such a control I fear our democracy is doomed.

Paul Martin
Address supplied

Boris Johnson ought to stop making promises he can’t keep

So Boris Johnson is returned to the back benches where he likes to be; throwing stones and criticising. When will he grow up?

He’s complaining the government plan for Brexit is not “hard” enough and will leave us tied to EU rules without any say on how they are set. He wants a different Brexit, but he’s had all his time in cabinet to propose a plan for how a hard Brexit can resolve the Irish border problem and avoid severely damaging our economy.

He’s proposed absolutely nothing to solve these problems, all he’s done is whinge and complain about decisions he’s been part of as a member of the cabinet. He’s simply continuing his Vote Leave stance, in promising the world without the faintest idea of how to achieve it.

It’s time for him to shut up and for Brexit to be abandoned.

Nick Haward
Havant

So Boris says it’s not too late for Brexit. Is he telling the truth, like he did when he stood beside a bus and promised £350m for the NHS?

He’s a self-serving embarrassment to the country.

Ken Twiss
Yarm

The culling of livestock in Bulgaria is a national disgrace

I am deeply concerned about the distressing slaughter of animals being carried out in Bulgaria under the guise of disease control.

These animals have not even all been tested for the disease they supposedly carry. How is this fair on the animals or their owners?

Many of these animals are kept in small flocks and have a deep connection with their owners, as is evident from the distressing pictures of Grandma Dora and her goats.

For these trusting animals to be killed is a national disgrace.

Smallholdings often have more disease resistance than those in factory farms, and should be encouraged due to their reduced environmental impacts and better standards of animal welfare.

To the Bulgarian government: please establish an official testing procedure with any infected animals being killed as humanely as possible. If this directive has come from the EU I would imagine these stipulations are in place, and Bulgaria is breaching EU law. I will be contacting my MEP to ask about this.

Bulgaria is attracting very negative global attention over this slaughter. Please immediately end this cruelty and the immense distress you are causing your citizens.

Michelle Hayward
Address supplied

How history will look back on Putin-Trump relations

Poor old Donald Trump, it now seems he did not mean to exonerate the Russian president over election meddling; he actually meant to blame the Kremlin for interference, as per the thoughts of US intelligence agencies.

This may just be the point when, many years from now, historians decide Vladimir Putin was elevated to the status of “the last best friend, am I”, for our golf loving, plutocratic reality TV star!

Robert Boston
Kingshill