16 OCTOBER 1999, Page 32

From Mr Roger Ordish Sir: Boris Johnson speaks of John

Peel's 'Liverpudlian sort of voice'. John Peel was educated at Shrewsbury and has bravely confessed on the wireless that he used to talk posh, but has since mended his ways and acquired an 'acceptable' designer- accent. (Hear also Janet Street-Porter, Harry Enfield, etc.) Mr Johnson should perhaps take a leaf

out of the Prime Minister's book and go for the Australian sounds of the post-Neigh- bours generation. For example, Mr Blair gives the same pronunciation to the words 'backbenchers' and 'backbenches' (and — incidentally — treats one much as the other).

Roger Ordish

Marshlands, Kingston Road, Lewes, East Sussex