5 JUNE 1964, Page 15

COMMERCIAL RADIO SIR,-1 have always been an admirer of the

Rt. Hon. lain Macleod, MP. Perhaps the fact that thirty- eight years ago I was one of his father's panel patients has had something to do with this. I believe he did a magnificent job as Colonial Secretary and I hoped he might emerge triumphant from the Tory Aceldama last autumn. I revelled in his lambasting of the anachronistic African views of Lord Salisbury and. I stoutly defended his right to correct Randolph Churchill's version of the matter of the selection of the Tory leader. I even applauded his justifiable, but rather immoderate attack on Welensky in last week's Spectator.

On the other hand, I was puzzled by his vigorous support for the introduction of ITV and I am dis- turbed by his blunt advocacy on behalf of commer- cial radio. Until last Thursday I had imagined that it was on the sole ground of an irrational hatred of monopoly (even though the alternative apparently would be to let loose a deluge of noisy bilge). Now, Tory innocent that I am, I know better, thanks to Quoodle's Tailpiece—it is simply because Sir Hugh Carlton Greene is a well-known left-wing propagandist!