18 APRIL 1987, Page 23

Financing Tribune

Sir: In his perceptive review of John Campbell's Nye Bevan (Books, 4 April), Alan Watkins says 'there is no evidence that Lord Beaverbrook "financed" Tribune as Mr Campbell asserts'.

On a number of occasions during my editorship of the Daily Express, Lord Beaverbrook decided to place advertise- ments in Tribune at what the marketing world would call 'premium rates'. When from time to time I protested against advertising in a paper that consistently attacked the Express, I was reminded that I was not displaying the Yorkshire generos- ity that Lord Beaverbrook expected of me. Financing takes many forms.

Edward Pickering

Executive Vice-Chairman, Times Newspapers Limited, 200 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1