I REFER to the letter written by Mr Len Thomas, husband of the Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, Cllr Linda Thomas (Saturday, April 19), and his subsequent apology (April 23).

Mr Thomas wrote to The Bolton News as chairman of the Local Government Committee, I feel, misleading readers by giving the impression that he represented an independent body, and not, as is the case, a Labour Party organisation.

In his letter he said that a resident of Tonge Moor had received a letter from the Conservative Party, with postage paid by the council.

A report by the council's Director of Legal and Democratic Services concludes that there is no evidence to support this claim.

There is evidence that the envelope in question was one of a batch sent by the council's Election Office to postal voters.

From the numbering on the envelope, the council's own tracking system shows that the findings are indisputable and confirm there is no evidence that the envelope included a Conservative Party leaflet.

While I welcome Mr Thomas's apology, I fear it does not go far enough.

Mr Thomas was keen to link my name to their unfounded allegations, and yet in his apology to The Bolton News, nowhere does my name appear. This is unacceptable.

Mr Thomas misrepresented me and bought my integrity into question when he accused me of a "disgraceful" personal attack on the recipient, an accusation that is completely false. Mr Thomas acted in undue haste without waiting for the conclusion of the investigation.

I also feel he used it as an opportunity to score party political points and influence voters.

If this is so, I am sad that the level of politics in Bolton has been debased.

The Labour Party has still not answered many key questions and I need to consider all further actions open to me.

Cllr David Greenhalgh