I can confirm that Labour has not been 'working together' with the EDP over the Norfolk county councillor allowances hike scandal as Cliff Jordan told Conservative county councillors.

I also completely agree with your editorial comment that Mr Jordan's allegation is outrageous. The EDP didn't print the whole email Mr Jordan sent telling Tory councillors not to respond to the reasonable requests for information but unless there is some context missing it appears his allegations of a conspiracy are a bare-faced lie.

I have written to Cliff Jordan today demanding evidence or a retraction and apology. I have now received his reply and got neither.

Like it or not, it is the job of the EDP to hold elected officials to account for their actions. It can be very uncomfortable to be on the receiving end as I know very well.

It's not the job of the EDP to be nice to politicians. It happens that on this occasion the EDP, Labour councillors and the vast majority of Norfolk shared the same revulsion at the hike in allowances awarded to themselves by Tory county councillors while slashing budgets for vital services.

The allowances hike was wrong.

It's a scandal that will haunt Tory councillors. No allegations of conspiracy, blaming others or lies will make it right or shift the responsibility from those who made the decision.

They are compounding their error by colluding with their increasingly truth deficient leader to remain silent.

It was wrong, it is a scandal and a betrayal of trust.