There seems to be an assumption here that we are all in favour of a democracy elected on a one-person-one-vote, first-past-the-post system. Britain used a version of Proportional Representation when it elected its new regional assemblies and I personally think that we've got a much better National Assembly for Wales than we would have had otherwise. (Gareth may disagree, of course. Freedom of speech, and all that.)

And, also personally, although I would prefer to see no party politics at town and community council level, I feel safer having them at every other level - largely because 'independent' council, AM, MP, MEP candidates don't have published manifestos to which I can point when they do something completely doo-lal.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure that Mr. H is wrong about the exclusion thing. I know of a child here who has been refused a place this coming term in his usual school, and the parents have to either find a school which will accept him (including one for behaviourally-challenged children) or sign up with the Education Authority for home schooling. If the kid still ends up hanging around street corners, it's a matter of truancy, the same as if he were bunking 'proper' school. But the bottom line is that the Authority or its agents (schools) have a legal responsibility to provide tuition.

sian