Highgate councillor Sian Berry welcomes Lorna Russell to the Green Party

• THE news of Camden’s deputy mayor, Councillor Lorna Russell, defecting from the Labour Party to the Green Party makes it clear that she had no choice but to do so in order to truly represent her residents in Fortune Green.

I am fortunate to be one of Cllr Russell’s constituents. For more than seven years she has been extremely responsive, very active in the local area, and worked extremely hard for her residents.

This decision was clearly very difficult for the councillor, but in taking it Lorna Russell has highlighted to her residents just how badly we, in the north west of the borough, are being let down by the Camden Labour ruling administration.

I, and many of my neighbours and friends, feel utterly patronised and let down by the one-party state council.

Cllr Russell’s defection will benefit residents now, as she will finally have the freedom to be more vocal on local issues such as our filthy streets and the O2 Centre building development, which simply get dismissed by the Labour council members who deny our legitimate concerns.

What Cllr Russell has done took immense courage. She has put her principles and values before her politics.

JILL HENRY
Address supplied