20 SEPTEMBER 1946, Page 14

INDEPENDENT OR LIBERAL?

Sta,—" Sir Ernest [Simon] has always hitherto been known as a staunch Liberal." Is your memory worse than mine? I thought that Sir Ernest was a Parliamentary candidate, not many months ago, as an Independent.—

Yours faithfully, . KENNETH PICKTHORN. Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

[There was, it is true, a brief episode of that kind.—En., Spectator.]