19 NOVEMBER 2005, Page 22

Tyranny of ‘necessity’

From Harold Adams

Sir: As the Parliaments of Great Britain and Australia grapple with their anti-terrorism legislation (Leading article, 12 November), our respective political leaders might care to reflect on the words of William Pitt the Younger: ‘Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.’ Harold Adams

Commodore, Royal Australian Navy (Retired), Canberra, Australia