SIR - Bill Hamilton (Herts Advertiser, June 11) highlighted the fraudulent and undemocratic nature of the European elections. The internal workings of the European Parliament are even worse. Procedure is in the hands of transnational groupings such as the

SIR - Bill Hamilton (Herts Advertiser, June 11) highlighted the fraudulent and undemocratic nature of the European elections.

The internal workings of the European Parliament are even worse. Procedure is in the hands of transnational groupings such as the European Peoples Party (EPP) to which wildly different national parties are forced to belong. Nobody ever voted for the EPP, it exists simply as a precaution against any outbreak of democracy. The only outstanding Euro MP of recent years has been Daniel Hannan,who was expelled from the EPP for having the guts to write about Euro MP expenses fiddles.

In order to sooth the fury of MEPs, they were then given a 30 per cent pay increase.

RICHARD DURRANT

Park Avenue

St Albans

SIR - Your election reporting last week was bizarrely pro-Lib Dem. They couldn't have written it better themselves.

But what were the actual figures? In the county council elections the Lib Dem vote in St Albans rose less than four points on last time, and they got fewer votes than the Conservatives. In the European elections they got 21 per cent in St Albans, a long way behind the Conservatives. Hardly the "runaway triumph" that you describe.

It is particularly odd that your enthusiastic editorial cites Lib Dem group leader Chris White of Central St Albans as a "candidate who lives and works in the patch". Chris White was the one Central St Albans candidate who does NOT live in that area. What's more, the number of people voting for his party in Central St Albans increased by a grand total of two.

You only hint at the bigger story - the very significant rise in the Green vote at these elections. The Green vote across the district more than doubled since the last county elections, making Greens now the third-most popular party in the district. In Central St Albans Greens came very close to second place, again more than doubling their vote. And Greens were the only party to increase their vote in every single part of St Albans.

In the European elections, St Albans saw one of the highest Green votes in the entire Eastern Region, and in St Peters ward Greens came first, beating all 14 other parties.

There are now 123 Green councillors on principal authorities, plus MEPs and Assembly members. For a full breakdown of results, readers might like to visit www.sagreens.org.uk. I would like to thank everyone who voted Green this time. They are in good company.

SIMON GROVER

St Albans District Green Party

Clifton Street

St Albans