Clik here to view.
There is, sadly, one voice missing from the referendum campaign in favour of the alternative vote – that of the late Robin Cook (Miliband rallies Labour voters, 29 April). As a forceful and longstanding advocate of electoral reform, there is no doubt in the minds of those of us who knew him that Robin would have been campaigning hard for a yes vote now. Robin was also a Labour loyalist to his core and would have understood perfectly the desire of Labour supporters to give Nick Clegg a bloody nose. But he would have resisted the satisfaction of doing so, in favour of the democratic benefits of an electoral system that expands political choice, makes more votes count and allows Britain to move beyond the narrow and sterile debates of the past.
Towards the end of his life, the issue that concerned Robin perhaps more than any other was the growing disconnect between politicians and voters. In one of the last speeches he gave, he lamented the debilitating effect on trust and voter engagement of an electoral system that leaves most British people represented by an MP they didn't vote for. His answer was to call for "an electoral system that puts power in the hands of the many voters and not the few". Those who share Robin's lifelong commitment to a more open and pluralistic style of politics have the opportunity to turn his vision into reality by voting yes on 5 May.
David Clarke, David Mathieson, Geoff Norris, Greg Power
Former special advisers to Robin Cook
• The Yes to AV card that came through my door cites jobs and MPs' expenses – where the effect of AV is near nonexistent. Do they have no better arguments?
Alan Hughes
Oxford
