JOHN Norwood argues that proportional representation would lead to more frequent elections (You Say, June 22).

But in saying that "no Government would be able to set out a manifesto and expect to carry it out" he neglects an important distinction.

It is not governments that set out manifestoes, but political parties (and, occasionally, individuals).

Under PR, elections would become a more accurate test of public support for those manifestoes.

If the outcome of a PR election is a parliament in which no one party has an overall majority, politicians will be encouraged to work together to agree a consensus programme.

Any party that habitually responded to such situations by forcing a new election would lose public support very quickly.

As PR became firmly established, political parties' manifestoes, or at least their spokespeople, would be able to take public positions on various possible coalitions, while still setting out a distinctive vision.

Thus PR promises a form of politics that maintains competition between parties in the battle of ideas, but produces more consensual governments.

PAUL H GRIFFITHS,

Worcester Liberal Democrats,

Herrengrabenweg 15

CH-4054 Basel

Switzerland.