The wrong Europhiliac
From Mr Brendan Donnelly
Sir: Peter °borne upbraids his journalistic colleagues for not checking their stories (1-low they invented a Tory plot', 21 April). If he had followed his own advice, he would not have described William Newton Dunn as a founder-member of the Pro-Euro Conservative party.
William Newton Dunn was never a member of the Pro-Euro Conservative party. In 1999, he was elected as a Member of the European Parliament on William Hague's list for the East Midlands. In being selected and elected, he enjoyed the enthusiastic support of at least one prominent local MP, namely Ken Clarke. In 2000, William Newton Dunn transferred from the Conservative party to the Liberal Democrats. It will be for your readers to judge whether the reality reflects better on Bill than your erroneous claim that he helped found the Pro-Euro Conservative party.
I suspect Peter Oborne is confusing Bill Newton Dunn with myself. I was indeed a co-founder in 1999 of the Pro-Euro Conservative party with my then colleague in the European Parliament, John Stevens. As to the party's success or otherwise, I can only quote Mao's view on the French Revolution, that it is too early to tell. I am sorry that I apparently struck Peter °borne as 'mournful' on our one meeting at Green's. Perhaps the unfamiliar diet of oysters and champagne disagreed with me.
I share entirely Peter Oborne's general view, that many journalists today are more interested in recreating the world than reporting it. The systematic misrepresentation of all things European by influential sections of the British press is an obvious case in point. Perhaps Mr °borne would like to use his next polemical article in The Spectator to analyse this particular manifestation of his general thesis.
Brendan Donnelly
Deputy Leader, Pro-Euro Conservative party, London SW1
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