11 JULY 1992, Page 24

Sanctimoney

Sir: I was vigorous in my support of Andrew Neil's publication of the Andrew Morton book on the Princess of Wales, but found Andrew Knight's lap-dog defence (The restraint of royalist Rupert', 4 July) of the Sunday Times and its proprietor quite stomach-churning.

To describe Mr Murdoch, who became an American citizen with indecent haste when necessity drove, as 'patriotic' must have caused both the Queen and the Presi- dent of the United States to reach for the sick-bag.

And the patronising claim that the Sun- day Times has paid for 'documented stories of regal infidelities' and kept them 'deliber- ately unused in our safes ... so that our tabloid competitors may not use them either' is sanctimony beyond belief coming from the chairman of News International.

Bill Hagerty

Editor, The People, Holborn Circus, London EC I