Sir: George Young repeats that leasehold is 'feudal'. It is
nothing of the kind. It was developed in the 17th century, at the same time as the Bank of England, mortgages, insurance and many other forms of 'mod- ern' capitalism. It is interesting that a mem- ber of the present Government should con- sider that because something is distinctively English it must be bad. It is less surprising that Sir George himself should remain so impervious to historical and architectural arguments. After all, one of his family's main contributions to 20th-century England is the destruction of the beautiful Georgian Formosa Place in Berkshire — a demoli- tion which was, no doubt, very much 'in step with the times' circa 1950.
I suppose one should be grateful for hav- ing it pointed out in a single letter why no educated man of property should ever vote Conservative again.
John Martin Robinson
Travellers' Club, 106 Pall Mall, London SW1
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