Flawed logic

William Ballantine (Letters, 12 May) claims that, because the SNP received a vote of approximately one third of the electorate on a 50 per cent turnout (ie, 16.5 per cent of eligible voters), the Scottish Government has no democratic accountability. Using his own figures, only 33 per cent of those eligible to vote supported the unionist position; therefore, 51 per cent don't care or are unpersuaded in either direction.

Applying this logic, no government in modern times, at Westminster or Holyrood, has been democratically accountable. This logic would mean that the introduction of the NHS was undemocratic, ditto the introduction of "right to buy" by the Conservatives.

If you win a majority of seats, by whatever electoral system is in place at any given time, and whatever the turnout may be from time to time, then you have a democratic mandate.

By all means let's inform the debate and encourage everyone, whatever their view, of the importance of voting. The SNP's "national conversation" is hoping to achieve this, as is the alternative Calman review. But let's not pretend the SNP is particularly lacking a democratic mandate any more than Labour or any other party has at any time they have been in power locally, at Holyrood or at Westminster.

If you engage people in intelligent, informed debate rather than slagging each other off, more people would vote.

MARK MILLER

Leith Links

Edinburgh