Letters | 30 July 2011 | The Spectator

The right path

Sir: I have always had the greatest respect for Matthew Parris’s incisive comments. However, in his latest column (23 July), he misreads Tory supporters. The Conservative Home survey was statistically accurate. The views expressed were those of thousands of voters and reflect their opinions on ‘U-turn Cameron’. The most frequent comment about him is ‘we do not know what he stands for and if we did, he will change it when he wants’. That is why he did not win the 2010 election, in which he should have wiped the floor with the Labour party. No doubt support could have been found for 10 more ‘pet hates’ from participants. However Nos 1 to 10 were quite sufficient to reflect the majority views of many voters. David Cameron needs to realise that he is in politics — not PR.

Bernard Mulady.
Bucks

Blanket condemnation

Sir: Reading Angela Huth’s article on life-dividers (‘Duvets or blankets?’, 23 July), I realise that I too fall into the category of blankets, being tidy and extremely punctual. However I’m also conscious of the fact that I now live on my own. Could the two facts be linked?

Ralph Rolls
London SW20

Nameless and shameless

Sir: Victoria Lane is humane in her reaction to Charlie Gilmour’s sentence (‘Give Charlie a break’, 23 July). However it has always been the case that those who are, for whatever reason, well known, can expect the courts to use that to send messages of deterrence to the greater population. If Charlie’s pa had been a suit in the City his sentence would have been nothing like 16 months, if he had been arraigned at all. This is not a good or a bad thing, it is just a fact of life. Those who expect justice to please everyone will wait forever.