Why is it people take issue with the fact that Gordon Brown was not elected as Prime Minister and refer to him as unelected?

Gavin Aitchison perpetuates this “myth” in his column on May 14, when he says “the pantomime of Brown’s non-election”.

It seems some Tory MPs think that upon Tony Blair’s resignation there should have been a General Election. They, of all people, should have been aware of recent political history.

Constitutionally, the Prime Minister is appointed the sovereign to form a government. Since 1945, there have been five instances where the Prime Minister has changed and on not one of these occasions has there been a General Election.

The 1955 election was called by Anthony Eden after taking over from Churchill and resulted in an increased Conservative majority. Eden’s downfall was, of course, “Suez”.

The unwarranted call for an election when Gordon Brown took over from Blair in 2007 was more to do with “Get Brown” than for a call for the constitution to be changed.

It appears the media, like children with toys, get fed up with parties that have been in power too long. I seem to recall that the media did same thing to John Major.

Tim Short, Chestnut Grove, Acomb, York.