• I DESPAIR of the forthcoming local elections on May 5.

Democracy depends on healthy opposition, from within and without the ruling party.

Sadly I predict that the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens and independents will not get more than a dozen seats between them, as many voters will want to give the Tory government a bloody nose, ignoring that these are local elections.

Even worse news is that the ruling Camden Labour administration has hounded out any independent-minded voices within its own ranks.

When excellent Labour councillors were dropped because they supported opposition call-ins to scrutiny committees, the process became a devalued mockery.

The direct consequence is a Labour slate of compliant cannon-fodder who will kow-tow to the small cabal that will continue to run Camden – in the absence of strong leadership – to its own agenda, paying no respect to residents’ views.

You only have to read the letters pages of the CNJ over the past few months to recognise that “there’s something rotten in the state of Denmark”!

Whether it is the pitifully few net extra social rented homes actually built by Labour in 12 years of rule, its highly suspect Community Investment Programme, the deplorable state of local planning, or the daft painting of rainbows on the road, it’s plain to see the incumbent administration doesn’t listen to Camden’s citizens.

Here is my plea on how you might use your votes. With the honourable exception of just a handful of excellent Labour incumbents, such as councillors Vincent, Cotton, Apak, Wright, do not vote Labour.

Support candidates from whichever party is likely to challenge Labour in your ward. We need opposition councillors to stress-test our council.

I despair that it’s not going to happen. Even healthy criticism within Labour has been systematically extinguished. Stop democracy dying here.

PAUL BRAITHWAITE, NW5