I CAN’T help feeling that Lloyd Russell-Moyle is being either wilfully turning a blind eye or making a pathetic effort at passing the buck.

To claim that it is the defection of seven Labour MPs and whatever may happen in their wake is likely to hand at least two of the Brighton seats to the Conservatives is a considerable distortion of the truth.

It is clear that what motivated the seven was a profound disappointment with the way that the Labour Party has been dragged to the left by Momentum, deserting its social democratic tradition in the process, and by the limp-wristed passivity of Jeremy Corbyn in dealing with anti-Semitism and Brexit.

If it turns out that that the Tories win again in Brighton, it will be because Labour has deserted its traditional voter base.

It is a fallacy to believe that the restoration of Conservatives MPs in our city could be laid at the feet of these seven.

Mr Russell-Moyle needs only to follow various opinion polls to find proof that he is wrong.

Dr Michael Johnson, Kevin Gardens, Woodingdean