Letter: England left out

Sir: The combination of the low turnout in the Scottish Parliament elections and Dennis Canavan's victory in Falkirk speaks volumes about the way the Caledonian electorate approached this contest.

Faced with a choice between the debilitating managerialism of the three traditional parties, and the "Braveheart" impossibilism of the Scottish nationalists, the voters stayed away in droves. However, in the one election where the voters were given the opportunity to vote for a candidate offering old-fashioned, red-blooded socialism, they flocked to the polling booths to vote him into office. New Labour spin doctors, please note.

WALTER CAIRNS

Manchester