REGARDING your report 'Silence over call for apology after Mayor's comments' (LET, April 30), it seems that a senior Labour politician of long standing and one-time leader of Blackburn Council has blown the gaff.

One would be under the impression that such an experienced politician would not make such suggestions, without much consideration first, well knowing the ramifications that would come.

Labour's local control freak, whose job is to muzzle local councillors, has failed in this instance and is out of order to just pass it off as an internal party matter.

For if the allegations are true, and opinions expressed by councillors, council employees and others would support this view, it is of little concern whether the Labour Party has been embarrassed or not.

It is the seriousness of the consequences, if proven, as it then demonstrates total disregard for the principle of democracy.

Therefore, this is a matter of public interest and, as such, should be in the public domain and should not be determined in secret in some backroom by a little Labour caucus.

WALT MEADOWS, Whalley New Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.