It’s no surprise to see a candidate ‘parachute’ in

UNDERSTANDABLY, some of the prospective parliamentary candidates for the Leicester East constituency were dismayed by the parachuting in of a Londoner to replace Keith Vaz (“Labour picks Vaz successor - row soon follows selection,” Mercury, November 13)

The Labour hierarchy’s preferred candidate is Claudia Webbe. I have known the Webbe family for some years and it is true that Claudia’s childhood roots were in the Leicester West.

The real cause of the dismay is the fact the local candidates were bypassed by the Labour hierarchy. But then, that is nothing new. The locals should have been aware of the history. Phrases such as democracy, accountability and openness are just empty words, even in 2019.

Back in 1983, Leicester East locals had chosen a local Indian businessman, Mr Ganatra, who was then side-lined by the hierarchy.

A Londoner, Patricia Hewitt, was parachuted in and went on to lose to Conservative Peter Bruinvels, in a direct backlash from the angry voters who felt insulted.

Patricia Hewitt was parachuted for the second attempt in Leicester West to replace Greville Janner in 1997 (and this time won).

The local candidate, a certain Mr Willy Bach, ended up in the Lords.

Then the incumbent Leicester West MP, the Londoner Liz Kendall, was eased in after Patricia Hewitt in 2010.

On the flipside, with Mr Vaz gone there will be changes in Leicester’s political make up, which will be all for good.

A bit of competition will focus minds for the consensual governance of Leicester.

Subhash Varambhia, Leicester

HISTORY REPEATING: Our correspondent likens Labour’s choice of Claudia Webbe, right, as the candidate for the Leicester East constituency to the selection of Patricia Hewitt, left, at the expense of a local candidate in 1983, and the parachuting in of Liz Kendall to the Leicester West constituency in 2010