SIR - Those who advocate the abolition of the monarchy tend to argue that the head of state should be democratically elected, otherwise the country can never be an equal society.

However, people like Mr Hornby (T&A letters, September 14) fail to appreciate that should the Head of State be elected, the position would become politicised, as inevitably candidates from the major political parties compete for votes.

In the present system, the monarchy remains untainted by party politics and offers a continuation, irrespective of election results, hence conferring constitutional stability and maintaining ancient traditions.

It is possible to retain a more modest monarchy, and with its prerogative powers abolished. Arguments justifying the monarchy on commercial lines, such as the benefits to trade and tourism, are largely unproven and even superfluous.

Egalitarians have succeeded in abolishing the hereditary peerage in the House of Lords with a worse system which depends on political appointments, and the abolition of the monarchy is their next designated project.

Alec Suchi, Allerton Road, Bradford