Julie Burchill makes a very good living as a columnist. I'm sure it's nice work if you can get it.

Her "best friend" in Whitehawk must be pretty envious (The Argus, July 21).

Julie enjoys nothing better than slagging off Brighton and Hove.

Sometimes she's spot on, like when she debunks the self-satisfied, self-important elite of unelected "opinion-formers" who take up far too much space in The Argus.

Occasionally, though, Julie gets it spectacularly wrong.

Her accusation the council is guilty of a "wholesale persecution of the indigenous working class" - apart from sounding uncomfortably close to BNP-speak - is total and utter tripe.

It's all very well Julie appointing herself spokesperson for the working class but if she knew areas such as Whitehawk a little better she would realise these communities have their own genuine leaders and representatives and she is distinctly surplus to requirements.

As for Julie's donation of £300 to Defend Council Housing, a campaigning group I greatly respect, can't she do better than that? After all, she isn't short of a bob or two.

If she really wanted to support Defend Council Housing, Julie would double her contribution then add a nought.

She should also give her time as well as her money and - as I did a few months ago - leaflet the whole of Whitehawk.

Then, and only then, will I start to take her seriously.

-Coun Kevin Allen (Labour), Brighton and Hove City Council