• THE priorities according to which Camden’s Labour selected its councillor candidates – and deselected seven of its sitting councillors – are very odd.

One of the reasons for deselecting sitting councillor Simon Pearson was his criticism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism, (Sir Keir even bought me drinking chocolate, March 31).

In June 2021 I applied for candidacy at the Fortune Green by-election. There were only two applicants, myself included.

At the interview I was asked if I approved the IHRA’s definition of anti-Semitism. I explained that I have not read it and that neither have I read the rival Jerusalem definition of anti-Semitism.

Most of my interview consisted of me being strongly criticised for having not read the material. In vain did I argue that being a Jewish Holocaust child survivor and a voluntary Holocaust researcher, I knew what anti-Semitism was.

My application for the council candidacy was turned down and the only other applicant was selected.

In autumn 2021 I applied for candidacy for the forthcoming local elections. This time the argument against me was my one-off attendance of a meeting organised by a socialist group (which six months later was proscribed) and the panel’s assumption that, if elected as councillor, I would not obey the chief whip.

Ironically our last Labour chief whip has turned out to be fraudulent by running a Twitter account under a false identity and thus attacking his Labour councillor colleagues via his Twitter messages.

Astonishingly at neither of my two interviews were local needs of local residents considered. Sad times…

DR AGNES KORY, NW3