IN these days of "political correctness," it is probably highly incorrect to think of democracy as anything less than perfect. Yet it suffers from one fatal flaw -- once elected, the people have no further control over their elected representatives.

This may well be why a growing number of people hold such a low opinion of politicians. It could also lead to apathy and low turnout we are now seeing at election times.

This growing sense of frustration could well lead to the public taking what is now being termed "direct action," similar to that taken so recently in France and elsewhere.

All this could easily be avoided if we adopted the American system of The Initiative and The Referendum enshrined in the United States constitution.

The Initiative is the right of petition. If a specified number of people exercise this right they are entitled by law to compel their elected representatives to grant them a referendum on the chosen subject -- for example, petrol prices.

In the electronic age in which we live, such referendums could be easily and swiftly arranged. It would amount to direct legislation by the public -- genuine democracy if you will, rather than the sham parliamentary democracy we endure at present.

THOMAS HAWORTH, Fowler Height Close, Blackburn.