THE Labour Party wants to scrap the Holyrood second vote and base the additional member MSPs only on a party's share of the first, constituency, vote. This proposal is based on the flawed assumption that the constituency vote is a perfect representation of a party's support. This is not so.

For example, there is good evidence (from the 2003 Scottish and 2004 European elections) that the "natural" Green vote is around 12-per cent here in Edinburgh where proportional voting is in place. But in the recent general election the party scored only 4-per cent across the city. This is because voters were faced with tactical decisions about how best to oust one or another candidate (first-past-the-post voting leads to this).

This was most obvious in Edinburgh South where erstwhile Green voters loaned their votes to Labour or the Liberal Democrats, such was the closeness of the contest. This resulted in a low Green vote of 3-per cent, considerably suppressed from those who would "naturally" vote Green.

Basing top-up members only on first-past-the-post votes would simply magnify the distortions of that system.

The reality is that proportional voting systems affect not only how votes are translated into seats but how people vote in the first place. That's why the Labour proposals should be rejected.

Ben Robertson, 28 Briarbank Terrace, Edinburgh.

I WELCOME The Herald's coverage of proposals to change the Scottish Parliament's voting system, as it is important that the electorate sees what the various parties have in mind. But it's a bit rich to suggest smaller parties such as the Greens are motivated by narrow party advantage. After all, we are pretty content with the current system even though it still leaves us slightly under-represented. We think it is working well and that boundary differences, list-constituency conf licts and other such criticisms tend to dwell only on the minds of politicians - the electorate doesn't seem very bothered.

In truth, the proposal which most clearly betrays self-interest is Labour's notion of the secondary mandate - removing one of the votes and distributing list seats on the basis of constituency vote-share. This may still offer some proportionality but the selfinterest of party managers would be well served indeed. Far from improving democratic accountability, this would give voters far less control over who represents them, and result in the election of MSPs for whom literally no-one had ever voted.

Those who believe in genuine democracy should see this for what it is - an attempt to shift the debate on to the complexities of competing systems for Holyrood. After last week's general election, we know where the debate must remain - the clear and simple need for electoral reform in Westminster, perhaps the least democratic legislature in Europe.

Patrick Harvie, MSP, Green Group, The Scottish Parliament.

ITIS clearly Labour's intention to attempt the destruction of PR in elections to the Scottish Parliament.

Its submission to the Arbuthnott committee clearly shows its continuing hatred of democratic elections where votes count.

However, it is mean-spirited to infer that the SNP and the LibDems want to see the end of PR as the early part of your reporter's article seems to do.

What the SNP has put forward is the use of STV in choosing members of the Scottish Parliament. This would open up the election and the choice of candidates would be in the hands of the electorate. They would get to rank individual candidates in order of preference.

One of the criticisms of the current additional member system is that the order of the party lists is controlled by the political parties. Electors might want the person listed fifth on a party list to get elected but in voting for the party they get the number one on the list. To my mind, that is extending democracy, not limiting it.

The target for complaint should not be historical supporters of PR - the SNP and the LibDems - but those who seek to deny democracy. It is time the hegemony of Labour in Scotland was shaken until its foundations crumble.

Rob Munn, 10 Ryehill Terrace, Edinburgh.