Purcell dilemma

While everyone has sympathy with Steven Purcell's personal problems (your report, 9 March), the circumstances surrounding his fall from grace cannot be easily brushed under the carpet as any wrongdoing must be public property.

It is perfectly legitimate to investigate who and when anyone in the Labour Party, either in the council or nationally, was aware of Purcell's problems or any involvement with illegal drugs or with the police as this may have had a detrimental effect on his judgment as the man responsible for Glasgow's budget of 2.5 billion a year.

If anyone within Labour knew of these problems, or even suspected them months ago but did nothing, then they are culpable and may have hastened Purcell's deterioration.

JANICE THOMPSON

Walter Scott Avenue

Edinburgh