17 AUGUST 2002, Page 24

Unfair to Major

From Professor John Studd Sir: Max Hastings's article (The hounding of country folk', 10 August) was accurate and timely, but why was there a need for the gratuitous insults towards John Major and Michael Howard, neither of whom have had any hostility towards rural life?

There are many of us who would welcome a return to the more transparent government of John Major, and perhaps even more who would applaud the former home secretary's initiatives on law and order, which resulted in an unprecedented fall in reported crime during his stewardship.

I hope the Tory front bench are not persuaded to stay away from the 22 September Liberty and Livelihood March. Max Hastings can be assured that there will be many townies, like me, who will be pleased to protest against the government's destructive plans for the countryside, even in the company of Conservative politicians.

John Studd

London W1