IN commenting on the seven Labour MPs resigning from their party, the Echo Opinion Column (Feb 19) quoted from their ‘Statement of Independence’.

None of today’s political parties are fit to provide the leadership and direction needed by our country?

The statement continued describing the value of healthy debate and national consensus which required reaching out across out-dated political divides.

Our political system is fundamentally flawed. But it is also a very robust system. It has taken Brexit to shake it to its foundations.

The underlying problem we face is the first-past-the-post voting system. With a proportional system, Brexit would have been addressed long ago. With a proportional system we would not have our politics dominated by two dinosaur political parties each remaining united solely by opposition to the other dinosaur. It is our voting system that creates the outdated political divides.

If we want our politics to be fit for purpose, we need to be rid of the first-past-the-post voting system.

As for this present Brexit-induced crisis. The two dinosaurs will likely survive it and simply continue on regardless.

MARTIN RODGER

Bloxworth Road, Poole