21 NOVEMBER 1981, Page 16

Bending the argument

Sir: Mr Mount is entitled to his fantasies about lain Macleod (7 November). But he is not entitled to distort the manner of argument of those with whom he disagrees. He quoted nine lines of my Blackpool speech to indicate that I was as dogmatic as the monetarists whom he supports. Admittedly he put in three lots of dots. But nobody could have guessed from them that the first sentence of his quotation comes five pages before his final one. If you cut out the argument, and select half sentences to suit you, you can show just about anything. But not I think that lain Macleod would have supported the present policy.

Ian Gilmour

Mouse of Commons, London SW!