COUNCILLOR Ian Hudspeth’s departure from Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet (yesterday’s Oxford Mail) needs explaining.

He landed Oxfordshire taxpayers with an expensive and unnecessary incinerator in the wrong place; he diverted scarce funds to the costly white elephant of the Cogges link road in Witney; and he completely failed to improve transport access to Oxford.

But he wasn’t booted out of his job for any of these reasons. His mistake was challenging Keith Mitchell for leadership of the Tory-run county council. Mr Mitchell’s vengeance was swift.

Mr Mitchell is playing a dangerous game and making more and more enemies among his own Conservative councillors.

Mr Hudspeth was one of the best cards in the lack-lustre Tory pack and would probably make a very good Conservative leader. I know many of his own side agree.

Ian’s replacement, as cabinet member for growth and infrastructure, is the the inexperienced Lorraine Lindsey-Gale, who represents Dorchester.

She faces huge challenges over lack of money, the need to reduce our carbon footprint and the slump in jobs locally.

The people of Oxfordshire can ill-afford to lose competent Cabinet members, even if they are Conservatives.

The increasingly authoritarian leadership of Mr Mitchell is in nobody’s interest. Growth and infrastructure are too important to be put at risk by Tory party squabbles.

John Tanner, Board Member for a Cleaner, Greener Oxford (Labour) Oxford city and Oxfordshire county councillor