EX-LABOUR Southampton city councillor Richard Harris (in his Echo letter 25-08-15 “Too much protest”) revealing areas of high need such as Southampton losing out disproportionately on Government funding, therefore (in his words) “Labour councillors are forced to make cuts such as library services”.

Richard is a decent guy, and I applaud his having a good go at the Tories, but please is that it?

Surely you and your colleagues in the Labour party and the Labour Group should end the hollow cries “we have no choice” and the shrugging of shoulders “we don’t like shutting respite centres, care homes, libraries, or sacking council staff, but we have no choice”.

How about robustly taking on the government, rather than raising the white flag and doing the dirty work for them implementing the ongoing cuts.

Or are we Richard waiting for the day when there is no more services and jobs to cut? Job done local council dismantled?

Councillor Don Thomas, Independent Councillors Against Cuts