NEW Labour's shenanigans over the selection of their candidate for Mayor of London ought not to distract the rest of us to the dangers of elected mayors elsewhere in Britain.

Under New Labour's proposals, power would pass from elected councillors to a small group of individuals, acting behind closed doors, away from public scrutiny.

This is a recipe for the kind of corruption already witnessed in countries like France, where six mayors are currently in prison, and the USA, where organised crime has an unhealthy influence in many city halls.

Elected mayors would be able to appoint non-elected business men/women to their cabinet, hardly an extension of democracy.

The malaise in our local politics is rooted in the loss of powers of councils brought about during the Thatcher years and the chronic under-funding of local government by Tory and New Labour governments.

Give councils back their democrat powers, give them the money to educate our children, care for the vulnerable, run decent public housing and other services and their actions will once again be relevant to the public, thus reviving an interest in local government.

ROGER BANNISTER, UNISON National Executive Council (personal capacity), Admin Road, Kirkby.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.