Leading Labour councillor Ken Bodfish is right to say a referendum on having a directly-elected mayor for Brighton and Hove should be postponed.

But he is wrong to say in a letter to Labour colleagues leaked to this paper that The Argus has been attempting to force the pace on this issue.

While The Argus has generally supported the idea of an elected mayor as a way of increasing lamentably low interest in local government, we have not been in a great hurry.

It must not be forgotten that it was Labour which introduced the idea of an elected mayor in the first place.

It was Ken Bodfish and his Labour colleagues who were moving ahead at speed.

They wanted the referendum on May 3, allegedly to increase turnout and save money by having the poll on the likely same day as the General Election.

The time will pass this week for Brighton and Hove to choose the May date, so there will have to be a postponement anyway.

A delayed referendum would also be no bad thing for Coun Bodfish whose position as one of the main probable contenders would be strengthened as a result.

Isn't that right, Ken?