“Did 2025 mark the end of British parliamentary democracy as we know it?” asks the headline on Andy Beckett’s article (25 December). Let’s hope not, but the case for moving to a proportional-representation-based system seems clear. The disillusion with Westminster, however, surely stems from the growing gap between House of Commons politics and extra-parliamentary politics in workplaces, communities and the streets. Hundreds of thousands have continued to march on Palestine in 2025. Some nods to this have been made – recognition of a Palestinian state. However, arms sales to Israel continue, as do official relations with Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, hardly a week goes by without the government finding new ways to restrict protest. In 2026, we will need to see a battle to defend democracy from above, but also crucially from below.
Keith Flett
Tottenham, London

In Andy Beckett’s article, there is no mention of Your Party. There may be a shortage of wise men/women, but the desires and the want that produced its conception won’t disappear. There will be fresh messiahs born in search of a Jerusalem that existing parties can’t deliver, as we sight the mass unemployment/pauperisation that Herod’s AI will bring for the “many”. Jobs in “fulfilment centres”, anyone? Quite rightly, the myths of the centre cannot hold, if the truth be told of our condition. We may even get an Easter rising by my grandchildren.
Chris Bratcher
Richmond, North Yorkshire

In the bleak midwinter, Andy Beckett paints a downbeat vision, but come the birds in spring again, it could look very different. The future rests in the hands of the parliamentary Labour party: they either change leader and reset, or let the crisis in democracy worsen by leaving Keir Starmer where he is. That would be a failure of historic proportions by the party.
Michael Chandler
Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex

One point Andy Beckett missed in his interesting article is that, as I remember it, when Nigel Farage set up Reform UK, one of its main demands was for a system of proportional representation – about the only sensible policy Reform ever had. The party seems quiet about this now, though.
Bill Free
St Albans

Larry Elliott says that an economic upturn would not be guaranteed to form a reassessment of voters’ view of Labour, but continues to analyse the chances of economic recovery (Labour is living in a fool’s paradise if it thinks it has plenty of time to turn Britain around, 24 December). There are more profound reasons for the drop in Labour’s popularity since the election, namely the lack of action on Gaza and the punitive approach taken to those protesting on climate and Palestine. This betrayal of trust is likely to be permanent and unaffected by the cost of housing or eggs.
Daniel Scharf
Abingdon, Oxfordshire

Larry Elliott neatly sets out the descent of Starmer’s government into deep unpopularity. He says this is “almost certainly” attributable to a “combination of factors”, which he goes on to list. But nowhere does he mention the scale of the blizzard of fake online stories reported by you last month (YouTube channels spreading fake, anti-Labour videos viewed 1.2bn times in 2025 13 December). Can anyone doubt that this might be an important factor?
Tom Quinn
Farnham, Surrey