• I WAS shocked to read of your account of the deselection of Labour Cllr Leo Cassarani, (Deselections: Labour only wants yes-men, says blocked councillor, December 9).

As my ward councillor Leo Cassarani has been excellent. Here is someone who really cares and has taken up our concerns in Swiss Cottage, helping residents whether it is over the disastrous development at 100 Avenue Road or the flash flooding in July.

He has done everything a good backbench councillor is supposed to do, and more. He has taken his scrutineering role seriously, asking the right questions and calling the executive to account.

In short Cllr Cassarani has, in the words of Mike Katz, chair of the Labour Campaign Forum, “met the high standards that both we and voters expect of elected councillors”.

Yet Leo Cassarani has been booted out for daring to ask questions and because the Labour Party has failed to tear up a false report from the former disgraced chief whip.

Local party members and voters alike are being denied the opportunity to decide whether or not they wish to select / re-elect their councillor. This is very bad news for democracy.

KATHARINE BLIGH, NW6