Adrian Cohen with Council leader Georgia Gould

• I WAS disappointed to read Adrian Cohen has stood down so soon after being elected as Labour’s first councillor for Hampstead Town, (Labour’s history maker steps down less than a month after election win, May 26).

Despite the myths about “Hampstead socialists”, Labour has never had a Hampstead Town councillor, even in the old pre-1965 metropolitan borough of Hampstead.

They first fielded a candidate for the ward in 1919, so it has only taken them 103 years to be elected there, before the victor resigned after just 20 days.

Given that Labour were targeting the ward in 2018, surely it was not beyond the realms of possibility that one of their candidates could be elected.

At that year’s contest, aside from Linda Chung, the Liberal Democrat and Labour candidates were all within 100 votes of each other as the closest opposition to the elected Conservatives.

I expect the constituency Labour party will be more careful in choosing future candidates for semi-marginal wards. Even those selected for Frognal may not be able to sleep soundly on election night.

Still, Cllr Cohen can take comfort in not quite beating the record for Camden’s shortest-serving councillor. Readers may recall Justin Barnard, a Liberal Democrat, who unexpectedly won Camden Town with Primrose Hill in 2002 but stood down after just 10 days, seemingly so he could move to Norfolk.

His term of office lasted for one month and 18 days, until the ensuing by-election could take place. With a by-election for Hampstead Town due for July 7, Cllr Cohen will have served for two months and two days.

THEO MORGAN, W9