5 NOVEMBER 1994, Page 34

Sir: Boris Johnson asks an excellent question, `Is the word

of an Egyptian grocer worth more than that of a minister of the Crown?' (Politics, 29 October) and I believe I have the answer. The voluminous post-bag Mr Al Fayed receives every day and the encourag- ing telephone calls and faxes indicate that the ordinary people of Britain prefer Mr Al Fayed's forthrightness to the contradictory or incomplete explanations of their behaviour offered by some in high office. Most letters congratulate Mr Al Fayed and urge further disclosures in the interests of establishing new and higher standards in public life, an objective he shares.

Sermons in stones, books in the running brooks, the truth at the Harrods cheese counter.

Michael Cole

Harrods Ltd, 87-135 Brompton Road, London SW1