WHETHER Cllr Sharma likes it or not, the revelation that fellow Labour councillor Jiwan Virk is the owner of at least one illegally converted property within the borough must surely scupper his entire 'institutional racism' charade once and for all.

His motives for levelling such an allegation were always dubious.

In the circumstances, he has no choice but to drop the case - to continue would give the impression that it was only ever about acting in the interests of his colleagues, rather than his constituents.

Cllr Virk has clearly benefited from his 'illegal property', a factor the Labour Party should not forget while they consider their next move.

T SHARP Northcote Avenue, Isleworth.