I AM writing due to concern over the situation in Redbridge.

Councillor Andrew Pope has just resigned from the Labour party a week after being elected on a Labour ticket.

He had my vote specifically because he was standing for Labour as I am sure many others in the ward gave him their vote for that reason as strength comes from unity.

He is now refusing to call a bye-election.

That is tantamount to fraud.

At no time did he ever ask the permission of the voters in Redbridge to go independent.

Even Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless who recently defected from the Conservatives to Ukip had the decency to put themselves up for re-election but Councillor Pope appears to believe he is above such trivialities.

If he has the right to choose under which banner he wants to hold his position then surely we have the right to choose if we want his representation under that banner?

GLEN SHAKESPEARE, Southampton