BERNIA SANDERS AND A LESSON IN DEMOCRACY.

I take grave offence at the American political commentator Bernie Sanders' contention that America is the world's oldest democracy.

Great Britain has had a parliamentary democracy since at least 1660, some 116 years before America, who did not attain true democracy until 1964, 300 years after Great Britain.

Great Britain was amongst the first countries in the world to hold secret ballots for elections, the first such occurring at Pontefract on 15 August 1872.

America did not convert to nationwide secret ballots until 1950!

So come of it Mr Sanders, America has nothing to teach the United Kingdom about democracy.