Hitler's spin doctor, Joseph Goebbels, used to say that if you tell a lie often enough, people will believe it to be true.

Clearly this is the aim of Labour councillor Kath McGuirk (New CCTV cameras will not cover high-crime areas', Letters, March 13) when she repeated the deliberate falsehood that the Tories refused to allow a Labour budget amendment which she claims would have provided more money for CCTV. The simple truth is that the Labour budget was ruled illegal by the council's chief financial officer, who is not a politician. It had absolutely nothing to do with the Mayor or indeed the Conservative Party as Ms McGuirk knew full well.

Council officers were willing to help Labour modify their budget to comply with the law, but they deliberately chose to decline this offer for the sake of a good headline.

By refusing to prepare a legal budget, the Barnet Labour Party have not only let down their own supporters but proved themselves unfit to hold public office.

Jean Samuels

The Pastures, Whetstone