CLLR Derek Borthwick will become known as the ‘Houdini’ of council politics, one day he was in receipt of 1,037 votes as an Independent candidate, yet within a few hours he escapes from being elected as an Independent and dons the garb of a Conservative member.

He must surely hold the questionable honour of being the record holder of the quickest time he took to jump ship?

The fact that a most disappointing result was recorded regarding the failure of 16 Independent candidates in their attempts to gain election was not an adequate excuse for Cllr Borthwick’s lamentable renege on all his so called pre-election day principles, promises and his declaration of ‘un-political actions’ concerning his work at council.

May I remind him that only three Independents including himself were elected on May 3, when he was firstly elected with 1,069 votes for the Throop and Muscliffe ward.

How does he imagine the attitude is felt by his voters respecting his overnight swap from postulating as a ‘no political ties’ councillor to becoming a member of a political party?

In his election address Cllr. Borthwick told us that Independent councillors can make a difference, we can now discern that the difference regarding himself is a councillor who can at the drop of 1,037 votes, change his outspoken principles and allegiance completely overnight.

MRS M.J. MUIR, New Road, Bournemouth