Keith Mitchell is perhaps a Shakespearean jester, keen to mock and then invite mockery in return (Mitchell: His Own Words, October 8).

He revives his accusation that those who have opposed cuts to the Oxfordshire library service live in complete ignorance of, or indifference to, the consequences of cuts to social care. That is, until these shrill “lefties” might have need of this care for themselves and/or their families.

Apart from the fact that this is a glaring example of the excluded middle, one must wonder what hard evidence Mr Mitchell has for his “accusation”. Given that he begins his piece with the imperious “my county council”, it might reasonably be asked whether Mr Mitchell has sufficient knowledge of what his “subjects” know or do not know for him to be able to pass any sort of judgment on their views, for to argue from prejudice and disdain does Mr Mitchell no credit and fatally wounds the integrity of his leadership of Oxfordshire County Council, which really should not fall under the banner of a personal fiefdom!

BRUCE ROSS-SMITH, Bowness Avenue, Headington, Oxford