• THE selection of panel members for the interviews for Labour election candidates was bizarre.

It appears panel members were sought from far and wide so as to avoid using socialist members of the Camden Local Campaign Forum (LCF), hence socialist societies and unions were not represented despite having a member on the LCF.

None of the candidates passed by the LCF to go forward for councillor selection at local branches will be a socialist.

Following the deselection of Cllr Paul Tomlinson and at least four other left-wing councillors, scrutiny of council decisions will be much depleted, if there is any at all, after May next year, (The big purge? Councillor who spoke out against new skyscraper on green space is deselected by Labour, December 2).

I have heard that the interviews were arduous three-hour (and longer) events where candidates were continually told they were lying.

I am at a loss to know how the external opinion given by Cllr Peter Marland of ex-chief whip Lazzaro Pietragnoli’s reports can be accepted as fair and balanced when candidates were not contacted by Cllr Marland for their comments.

I think we can be sure that if other socialist councillors who chose not to stand, including my husband, had put in their applications the same fate would have befallen them.

I am concerned there will be no scrutiny of social housing content in future developments in Camden if there is liaison between councillors and big developers.

Sadly what has happened in Camden is a mirror image of what is going on in the Labour Party nationally. Socialists are not welcome.

If Keir Starmer and party general secretary David Evans were looking for unity they will certainly have achieved this by getting rid of anyone with different views.

Furthermore the ongoing suspension and expulsion of so many left-wing Jews, including a number of my friends, from the Labour Party for supporting Palestine is racist.

Socialism RIP.

DIANE PEARSON, NW5