I see Councillor Ken Bodfish has adopted the New Labour tactic of sneering at anyone who disagrees with him.

However, as someone who is helping to organise the campaign against the Capital of Culture bid, I am proud to be one of his "usual suspects".

The argument Coun Bodfish puts forward is, as usual, suspect.

Of course, it is true that Brighton and Hove City Council spends more on education and social services than it has on the where else campaign.

The council is obliged by law to spend a large proportion of its budget on these and other essential services. This is the main reason that we elect councillors.

On the other hand, the councillors are under no obligation to spend anything whatsoever on an attempt to be called a Capital of Culture.

The fact that the council has chosen to spend £150,000 (or "only £150,000", as Councillor Bodfish puts it) on this fatuous project demonstrates that it gives it a very high profile indeed and proves just how out of touch it is with public opinion.

-Bill North, General Secretary, Brighton Hove and District Trades Union Council