28 SEPTEMBER 1996, Page 38

Sir: Taki falls below his best with his per- sonal

attack on my friend Max Hastings for criticising Sir James Goldsmith and his motives with the Referendum Party. Whether Goldsmith is being patriotic or using his wealth for self-promotion is a wholly legitimate subject for critical exami- nation and comment.

I suspect that Taki's intemperate attack on Max Hastings relates not to differences over Goldsmith, but to some bruising encounter between himself and Max who is famed for bruising encounters. Your readers, I believe, would be greatly enter- tained if Taki could be persuaded to come clean and give us a round-by-round account of how Max so wounded his pride.

Deedes Aldington, Kent