Letters to the Editor – PR is now one of the most important issues.

Although the Greens suffered from the current system, UKIP suffered even more. Don’t underestimate their influence locally. In my local area they came second in Swansea East.

In Gower Labour were defeated by the Conservatives despite a strong showing by UKIP it seems people are deserting Labour for UKIP.

I think this is completely rational, but clearly thousands of others think likewise.

I am going to try to explain what I think happened in the election, without offending anyone! An awful lot of former labour voters went to UKIP, not, I believe, “tactically”, but because they didn’t agree with Tory or with Labour.

These are people who believe in strong social policy and investment, fair taxation, “those with the broadest shoulders” paying more, etc.

But they think we could afford that social investment more if we were out of Europe and didn’t have so many immigrants exploiting our services and benefits.

This attitude lost the Labour party such a huge slice of their votes that the Tories came in with the majority in most cases.

I haven’t analyzed it yet but suspect the Tory vote didn’t actually increase much; it was that so many people left Labour for UKIP, splitting the anti -Tory vote.

I believe that the UKIP arguments for keeping immigrants out and for leaving Europe are not flawed, and are correct.

I believe people now accept them I would like to see people better informed to make reasoned judgments about the place of immigrants, and the EU, in our economy.

This is what I feel desperately that we should focus on after the Assembly elections. I think we need to think positive.

The position of Cameron is not as strong as it first appears. He has only a small majority over a divided party.

Although he wants to stay in Europe, many on the right his party like UKIP don’t, however good a deal he thinks he made.

I presume he also wants to maintain the Union and the SNP may get cold feet for economic reasons.

The overall showing for the national minority parties including UKIP and now including the Lib-Dems is also positive because it shows a large number of voters are unhappy about the status quo but are largely denied a voice by first past the post.

Whatever you think about an EU Referendum it will force people to engage in politics in a similar way to the Referendum in Scotland.

James Cole

Name and address supplied,