10 JANUARY 1987, Page 20

The Independent

Sir: Surely Paul Johnson has completely missed the point when he writes (The press, 13 December) about the lack of 'a strong editorial world-view' and 'a distinc- tive tone of voice' in the Independent. It is just because the Independent does state the facts so objectively, without prejudice, that it is so readable. Not since the Times of pre-Thomson days have we had a newspap- er in which one can read the facts and then form one's own judgment.

Prior to the publication of the Indepen- dent, I used to find it necessary to take the Financial Times, the Guardian and the Times in order to gain a balanced perspec- tive of world affairs. The arrival on the scene of the Independent not only saves me time — I only have to read one daily newspaper — but it saves me 70p a day.

David Astor

Bruern Grange, Milton-under-Wychwood, Oxford