I’M coming to the conclusion that Guy Fawkes was on the right tack. Westminster needs to be destroyed – especially the non-democratic end where the privileged unelected hang out.

For years there’s been talk about rebuilding it. We know it’s a fire risk and is unsanitary. It sits beside the Thames, which is at constant risk of flooding, especially as the occupants can’t be bothered to do something about climate change.

Holyrood cost an arm and a leg but nowhere near the cost of rescuing Westminster.

And the Scottish Parliament’s salvation, it should be remembered, is proportional representation.

First-past-the-post precludes any party other than Labour and the Tories being in power. That’s working, eh? And how can Westminster still make a single vote last 20 minutes?

It’s a disgraceful throwback to an age gone by and a dreadful waste of time. The place is dotted with folk dressed as 19th-century colonial puppets, and the King turns up once a year to read someone else’s speech as even more of his “subjects” dress up in fancy clothes.

Guy Fawkes was dead right.

Tony Kime

Kelso