WHAT has happened to democracy?

Because no plausible figure from the Labour Party had the backbone to challenge Gordon Brown, he is the unelected leader of his party.

Neither has Mr Brown been elected Prime Minister of a country he does not represent.

It is now interesting that Mr Brown is employing Tories in advisory roles. He must surely find it difficult to recruit from his own party as he made so many enemies there - Alan Milburn and Peter Mandelson spring most quickly to mind - but he should not need to utilise the Opposition to fill roles that should be filled by those from his own side.

If Conservatives are to influence government policy, then it should be the British people who decide that, not this unelected control-freak.

David Cameron is now developing policy which doesn't seem half as unpopular as initially claimed by his critics. He is beginning to show that the Tories have sensible ideas for government, and that the Tories are now the party of the NHS and for delivering a referendum on the EU Constitution (or is it now Treaty?) If Mr Brown truly believes in "honest, fair government", he'll hold an election and, hopefully, lose.

Alex Mortimer, Durham.