When James Alexander became council leader, for the next few weeks there was no bigger culprit than him in petty sniping and name-calling (Letters, December 19).

Some wiser heads obviously took him to one side and told him to cool it, because there has barely been a trickle since.

Unfortunately, you can’t keep the personal aspect out of politics. Would Labour have won in 1997 if Michael Foot had been leader promoting Tony Blair’s brand of politics?

Would the Tories have succeeded in 1979 if the vapid David Cameron had led the controversial policies of Margaret Thatcher?

Somehow I doubt it.

York’s residents are tired of the inane oneupmanship that pervades the discourse between the political parties, but are even more concerned about the secret cabinet decision-making and the “only listening to what they want to hear” tactics used in Station Rise.

Public consultations are a sop to democracy because only selective results are implemented. This is what should concern you, Mr Alexander, not the sticks and stones of internet trolls.

Geoff Robb, Hunters Close, Dunnington, York.