SOUTH AFRICAN ELECTIONS
Snt,—The Spectator, in company with the rest of the British Press, regards the results of the recent South African election as depressing. Valuable newsprint has been devoted to expert analysis of the reasons behind the change in majorities. But surely the most depressing factor of all is the disinterest—amounting to complete disregard in many periodicals—shown towards the basic reason for the defeat of the United Party. I refer, of course, to the fact that, although the United Party has a minority in seats, it had a majority of more than 100,000 votes over the Nationalist Party.
Do we, or do we not, believe in representative government ? We have now in Britain a majority party with a minority vote. Just how ridiculous do the election results have to be before we turn our attention to the reform of our electoral " system " ?—Yours faithfully,
Hyndford, Wheeler Avenue, Oxted. JAMES ALSTON.
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