FORGIVE me if I cannot get excited by the government’s e-petitions website.

The leader of the House of Commons, Sir George Young, hopes petitions with more than 100,000 signatures will get the chance to be debated and voted on by MPs.

But, of course, time will have to be found in a crowded Parliamentary programme.

It seems inevitable that all those folk wanting the reintroduction of capital punishment, withdrawal from Europe and the decriminalisation of cannabis will find that this is something of an empty exercise.

Decisions will continue to be made by elected representatives who tend to like things as they are.

Democracy based on an XFactor voting system is, hopefully, a long way off.