COUNCILLOR Helen Douglas states in The Press of October 16 that for two years she had planned to leave the Labour party.

That being the case, why did she put herself in front of Clifton Labour Party to run for Labour?

She should have resigned her seat and created a by-election, instead of defecting to the party that for years she said she despised.

Politics has a bad name in the eyes of the electorate. Possibly one reason is that councillors and MPs think that they can change the horse they ride in mid-race.

Anybody who defects to another political persuasion should remove themselves from politics or at least resign their seat and create a by-election.

Councillors Brian Watson, Ken King and David Scott have left the Labour party but did not join any opposition party. They went independent. While not ideal, this is better than defecting to an opposition party.

I would like to apologise to councillor Dave Scott for shouting from the public gallery at the council meeting on October 9 that he was a disgrace for leaving Labour.

I have never met him and my reaction was knee-jerk and before I heard the resignation of Cllr King. Such a sad situation, as was Brian Watson’s resignation; but at least councillors Watson, King and Scott did not defect to another party.

Howard Perry, Dringhouses, York.