I am very disappointed at the statements made by Cllr Hoque, who has turned his back on the party he served for so many years, that the Camden Labour Group were rude and arrogant to him. He served on the Labour team I have led for some time on the housing

I am very disappointed at the statements made by Cllr Hoque, who has turned his back on the party he served for so many years, that the Camden Labour Group were rude and arrogant to him.

He served on the Labour team I have led for some time on the housing and adult social care scrutiny committee with Cllr Abdul Hai and I cannot remember any time he and his views were not treated with respect and welcomed at the pre-committee briefings I held and at the committee meetings. Indeed I have never seen in all my time on the council - and that goes back to my early days in 1964 - and to date, any examples of Labour Group members being rude and arrogant to Cllr Hoque or to anyone.

I think Cllr Hoque is using this as some form of justification for his odd action of defecting from an effective and cohesive Labour Group; and I thank him for his membership of my group and for his incessant attacks at recent HASC committees of Lib Dem cuts to adult social care.

Obviously some change in Lib Dem policies not to cut social services and housing staff and services have been notified to him alone and not to Cllr Hai and I.

As a prominent Tory said to me when Cllr Hoque's views were known: ''I don't agree with your views or the views of your party, but rude and arrogant none of you are - it is a strange excuse.''

Ah well, I think I know why he defected, but that is another story!

Cllr Roger Robinson

Opposition Lead on Housing

Camden Council

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