21 JULY 2007, Page 15

Death duties

Sir: More British prime ministers have died in office than Paul Johnson can recall 'offhand' (14 July). Most spectacularly, Spencer Perceval was assassinated in 1812 in the lobby of the House of Commons. Henry Pelham (1754), Lord Rockingham (1782) and George Canning (1827) also passed away whilst head of government.

Tim Holman St Albans