• YOUR report (The big purge? Councillor who spoke out against new skyscraper on green space is deselected by Labour, December 2) about the deselection of Paul Tomlinson fails to ask the crucial question: why?

The present Camden administration has an over-whelming majority and an almost supine opposition. Does it really matter if a few backbenchers vote occasionally against a specific initiative on behalf of their constituents?

Already cabinet members, the real power base, are appointed personally by the Labour leader and the potential loss of the annual allowance they voted themselves for, no doubt keeps many toeing the party line.

Is it that some of the top councillors and their officer advisers are worried that if there is a reduced Labour majority next May there will be increasing pressure for scrutiny and investigations into mismanagement of projects such as Community Investment Programme, the Chalcots PFI debacle, housing repairs and closure of schools?

Or are there fears that there are yet more secret tweeters (other than the ex-chief whip) in their ranks?

The “purge” extends to resident consultations with secret assemblies, unpublished consultants’ reports, and Zoom meetings where residents are barred from speaking.

As a Labour Party member for well over four decades, I got an email from the local party telling me how to reapply to join, as I had resigned! Apparently a computer error, and not the first.

Who was it said “party before self, and people before party? Not in Camden if you are a Labour councillor, or wannabe, though.

MICK FARRANT, NW5