20 JANUARY 1996, Page 21

LETTERS Alien leaders

Sir: 'Because he is named Portillo, as opposed to Smith or Jones, he is unlikely ever to be elected leader of the Conserva- tive Party.' Miss Petronella Wyatt is an excellent columnist, but one must cavil at that assertion (Furthermore, 13 January).

His 'foreignness' notwithstanding, arguably the most outstanding Conservative Party leader ever was Benjamin (Two Nations) Disraeli. He too was of Spanish — or to be more precise — Spanish-Italian (Sephardic) ancestry.

And as for Hungarians, it was that charming bounder Ferdinand Walsin Ester- hazy, who stitched up poor old Dreyfus. Charles Smith

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