However, there are a number of important factors involved in Ms. Wakefield's selection as a Central Ward Labour candidate which make the inevitable call for her to resign her seat even more pertinent.

The most important of these factors is that Ms Wakefield was elected by the Central Ward electorate not because of who she was, as quite frankly, not even the Labour Party selection panel, of which I was a member, had ever heard of her before, but rather, because of what she was, namely a member of the Labour Party.

Another irritation I have with Ms Wakefield representing the Central Ward is that, apart from the selection interview itself, I have never seen her near the area. This, I realise was the interview panel's fault, as although we were fully aware Coun Wakefield lived outside the ward and had never held political office before, we were unhappily in no position to be fussy. To be perfectly frank, if Jack the Ripper had put his name forward he would have been selected by the panel and, I guess, would be representing the Central Ward today as Coun Ripper.

In conclusion, although it is debatable if any person in political office has the right to switch parties without the permission of the electorate, in Coun Wakefield's case, I suggest she has even less legitimacy to do so than most, and accordingly must do the honourable thing and resign her seat immediately.

GLEN NEWELL,
St Mary's Road, Sutton.