The Argus reports Lawrence Eke, chair of Brighton and Hove Liberal Democrats, as explaining that Councillor David Watkins was deselected as a council candidate because “he did not agree to pay a tithe, believed to be about 10% of his councillor allowances, to the local party” (The Argus, November 23).

Let us remember what councillors’ allowances are.

It is taxpayers’ money paid to councillors – although these days a more accurate description would be salaries for councillors, as they are now substantial sums of money.

If the Liberal Democrats in Brighton and Hove insist on taking 10% of these allowances to fund themselves then they have effectively introduced the state funding of political parties through money from Council Tax.

While on a national scale, the Liberal Democrats impose cuts on everybody, it seems locally they are happy to fund their own party through this underhand method. Perhaps the overall allowances budget should be cut by 10% if the councillors do not need it?

I question the legality of the Liberal Democrat rules on this matter. If councillors wish to make voluntary donations to their own party, fair enough. If they are forced to pay directly out of the allowances we pay them, that is an abuse of council funding.

Derrick Chester
Worthing Road, Littlehampton

I had heard that Coun David Watkins was deselected and would not be standing for re-election as a councillor for Brunswick and Adelaide Ward – but the reason for deselection absolutely floored me. I stood in Westbourne Ward for the Liberal Democrats in the 2003 local election and it was made clear to me that in the unlikely event of my winning a seat on Brighton and Hove City Council, I would have to cough up a percentage of the councillors’ allowance for the party coffers. I was further given to understand that this was the norm for all political parties. Was that wrong? Quite why Coun Watkins has defied this custom is baffling. Local party members work on behalf of candidates pounding the streets, delivering flyers and making their own donations to pay for campaigns. The elected councillors don’t just work for residents. They are also mouthpieces for their political parties and work to promote that party’s policies. I am no longer a member of the Liberal Democrat party and feel disillusioned by party politics per se. Squabbling and polarised-on-principle rot now passes for democratic process, it seems to me. Perhaps Coun Watkins is also disillusioned. I feel he ought to explain his thinking. He cannot stand for re-election with credibility in any capacity, or for any other party, until he does.

Valerie Paynter
Clarendon Road, Hove