Up with Bottomley
Sir: Even from Auberon Waugh's article maligning Peter Bottomley it is clear that the Transport Minister is a man supportive of family life, is concerned for the dis- advantaged, as evidenced by his involve- ment with MIND and Christian Aid, and is a Conservative sensible enough to see that the trades unions are not the sole property of the Labour Party. Attributes, I would have thought, which would commend him to many of your readers. That he has also helped to make excessive drinking and driving much less socially acceptable is further to his credit.
Mr Waugh seems a far less attractive character. He is callous in his indifference to the pointless loss of life caused by those who kill after having drunk too much and totally ignores the suffering of those seriously injured. Indeed, his oft-repeated views on the subject are becoming positive- ly boring. But perhaps we should sympathise with Mr Waugh. He reminds me of Dr Johnson who, it may be recalled, told Boswell, 'I inherited a vile melancholy from my father, which has made me mad all my life, at least not sober.'
Edward Giles
Old Orchard, Steyne Road, Seaview, Isle of Wight
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