BY GIVING no fewer than three press conferences on Monday,
the British Transport Commission did its best to ensure that the press would be well informed about the great Plan. I went along to one of them and, listening to Sir Brian Robertson continually emphasising that he was not to be quoted, and that we were present for 'background,' not 'news; I fell to thinking that the 'off-the-record' press conference is sadly open to abuse. On the one hand it is all too easy for the speaker to give the impression of sincerity and frankness; on the other he can cleverly block criticisms by admitting their justice but giving a strictly off-the-record reason. The im- pression Sir Brian made on me was one of reasonableness and good sense; but I did not detect any evidence of the drive that his position would seem to require. His answers showed a fair enough grasp of the general principles, but there was no hint of that dynamic required to translate them effectively into action.
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