Never let it be said that county council leader Keith Mitchell is one to keep up with the times (Oxford Mail, May 21).

He sings the praises of our country's out-of-date voting system - or, rather, in good reactionary style, claims nothing else would work.

It's a strange time for him to be announcing his devotion to the old order.

After all, for the first time in many years, his Conservative Party reached the dizzy heights of coming third in popular votes in the recent Oxford elections.

His party's customary role is to come fourth in Oxford elections, behind the Greens.

But some things don't change - the Tories still managed to get not a single councillor elected in Oxford.

Mr Mitchell must surely realise that only a changed voting system would have got Conservatives elected, for the first time this Millennium, in the capital city of this county.

But perhaps that's exactly why he doesn't want any change.

Like another reactionary, from a bygone era, Wellington, he might have looked at his troops and said:"'I don't know about the enemy but, by God, they frighten me."

Patrick Murray Liberal Democrat Barton & Sandhlls ward Oxford City Council