20 FEBRUARY 1971, Page 27

Funebrial rites

The trouble, it now appears, with this scenario is that it took no account of Vere Harmsworth, who has not taken particularly kindly to the general suggestion that he has succeeded his father only to act as an un- dertaker presiding over the funebrial rites of the once-powerful Harmsworth empire. Some say he is now very determined to make a go of things, and that he is more inclined to merge the Daily Mail with its equally ailing sister-publication the Daily Sketch, into a new tabloid, than to see the Mail go to the Express and the Sketch go to the wall.

This fits in with the views of one of the Harmsworth in-laws, who has said more than once that there are dozens and dozens of millionaires, but only one or two who own newspapers.