It's a bit rich, those top Labour councillors preaching democracy.

They didn't consult us when they wanted to privatise housing benefits and they pushed through a completely biased referendum on the Albion's new stadium, which hid all the real issues.

They didn't consult on closing the Palmeira Home and they sacked their own colleagues, Joyce Edmond-Smith and Heather James, when they issued a squeak of dissent.

They rule the Labour group like sultans and they run a consultation exercise on the form of local government which is rigged to get the result they want.

And when their put-upon colleagues in the group don't vote the way they want they say they'll go for a referendum anyway.

Who needs democracy when the council solicitor does your hatchet jobs for you?

-W Hawk, Gloucester Place, Brighton