THURSDAY, May 5 2005 will go down in history as The Day Democracy Died in England.

As everyone is now aware, there was a travesty of a General Election held in the UK.

The results in England were as follows: ruling party, 8,044,96 votes; main opposition party 8,102,662 votes.

The main opposition party gained 60,000 more votes in England than the ruling party.

How were the total votes cast in England reflected in the number of seats?

The ruling party obtained 286 seats, the main opposition party obtained 193 seats.

By receiving 60,000 fewer votes in England than the main opposition party, the ruling party obtained 93 more seats.

England is no longer a democracy.

Democracy died in England on May 5 2005.

The ruling party obtained 35.46 per cent of the votes cast in England but got 54.15 per cent of the seats.

While the main opposition party obtained 35.72 per cent of the votes cast and only won 36.55 per cent of the seats. How did this travesty occur?

The Boundary Commission has a difficult task to perform getting the Parliamentary seats to reflect the voting patterns.

No-one pretends that it is easy. We totally accept that no first past the post system is infallible.

We totally accept that there are bound to be inconsistencies.

Indeed, in the past, both main parties have gained a few more seats than their opponents despite polling fewer voters.

No-one has ever complained about minor inconsistencies within the system.

We must also accept that the Boundary Commission may be incompetent.

MICHELLE KERRY, Oldham Street, Manchester.