I WOULD like to make it clear that, despite the current problems I continue to face, I remain a loyal Labour party activist and my disappointment rests firmly with the leadership of the Labour group here in Warrington, not my party as a whole.

This recent issue stems from a question I wanted to put to the council regarding the living wage, an initiative that Ed Miliband and the Labour party fully support.

My ward of Fairfield and Howley is one of the most deprived in the region and many of my residents are paid less than the living wage.

Some of these people still struggle to make ends meet and face a daily choice between eating or heating. Many of them may well have to use the foodbank here in Warrington to feed themselves and their families.

The reason for the question was to raise this subject to make everyone aware of the Government’s despicable record on attacking the most vulnerable in our society.

Unfortunately, the Labour group leadership in Warrington have, for their own reasons, chosen to go to extraordinary lengths to stop the issue being raised, with what seems to be the support of a senior council official, despite being fully aware this was a direct breach of our legal constitution.

I hope that people who know me, and who elected me, will understand my first priority is to represent them as honestly as I can, to the best of my ability.

Clr Kevin Bennett Fairfield and Howley