Many people in Brighton and Hove are worried about the secrecy and efficiency of the all-postal ballot being piloted for the city elections this week.

So it was remarkably foolish of election organiser Simon Burgess to write, and council leader Ken Bodfish to sign, a letter to party members indicating that they had wind of how people were voting.

The letter does not say Labour had access to ballot papers, which are supposed to be kept confidential, but it does say: "We are able to 'sample' how people are voting."

It's highly unlikely that the independent Electoral Reform Society, which is helping make sure everything runs properly, would let people from any party have access to information other than the voting percentages and whether the election was being run efficiently.

Now Burgess and Councillor Bodfish, experienced operators who should have known better, have raised fresh doubts in the minds of many people about the all-postal vote, which was a genuine attempt to get more people involved.

Labour's ploy to get party members working hard in marginal seats has rebounded hard on them.

Greens, who have never liked the postal vote, have responded with predictable fury while Lib Dems have gone right over the top by suggesting police could be involved.

The voters could still have the last laugh on Labour. Those who have not voted so far, and the number is worryingly large, still have the chance to drop their ballot forms into boxes at town halls until Thursday afternoon.

Their verdict on a party as clumsy as Labour might be to vote for someone else.