THE multi-authored letter of support for Councillor Eileen Kinnear after her excommunication from Harrow Conservatives ['Expelled, but not without support', Letters, March 12] will have given her a fillip and should be a cause for concern for the Tory leadership in Harrow.

Mrs Kinnear has a well-deserved reputation for making the needs of the residents she represents a top priority and that may be what got her into trouble with Harrow Conservatives. Without an official explanation to those who elected her,one can only speculate as to the cause of the expulsion.

The people who submitted the letter of support are pleased that Mrs Kinnear will continue to serve as an independent councillor.Sometimes, when a politician decides to put the people first and party second then being independent is the only way to go.

The Tory leadership in Harrow appears to be making a habit of alienating loyal party members, and

I see Brent Conservatives have also lost a few councillors. If the Conservatives cannot keep like-minded people on side how will they persuade non-Tories to vote for them? Worse still, if they can't maintain peace,harmony, cooperation and mutual respect within their party,how will they achieve it across all of Harrow? People don't vote for disunited parties and with good reason.

There is a real chance that there will be a significant number of independent candidates at next year's borough elections. The electorate will have a choice: vote for someone who as their elected representative puts the party first, or someone who puts the people first.

MARCELLO BORGESE

Wildcroft Gardens Edgware