Conspiracy theory
Sir : Like the writer of your Note- book, I too firmly believe in the conspiracy theory of history. Now that he has uncovered the King- Cudlipp-Axel Springer pro-Euro- pean plot, I really must confess to your readers that matters are even more sinister than this.
The writer of your Notebook has been subverted by me to show up by the rabid anti-Europeanism which fills the SPECTATOR'S columns these days, the absurdity of emotional anti-Common Mar- ket arguments. The truth of this is proved by the fact that his office, when he was in the employ of the IPC, was on the same corridor as mine, hence we did meet (inadver- tently of course) in the men's loo on that floor, where at least on two occasions we actually bandied words. I think no more proof than this is needed at least by your Notebook's standards of accuracy.
For those of your readers who may tend to lean towards conspira- torial thinking, allow me to state that the pro-Common Market atti-
tude of Messrs King and Cudlipp was certainly not influenced by Axel Springer.
Over the years, those two gentle- men and Axel Springer have indeed established a friendly relationship, but never at their infrequent-meet- ings were joint political or business links discussed. The fact that I enjoy IPC's hospitality, as one of their tenants, is entirely due to this friendly relationship and has noth- jng whatsoever to do with business arrangements between the two groups, as no such arrangements exist. In any case I look forward to the conclusion your writer will draw from the fact that I shall shortly be moving my offices out of the IPC Holborn Ho.
George Clare Managing Director The Axel Springer Publishing Group, Daily Mirror Building, Holborn Circus, London EC1
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