21 OCTOBER 2000, page 43

Briefs Encounter

From Susan Crosland Sir: In her as usual entertaining column (Singular life, 14 October), Petronella Wyatt (or was it Alan Clark?) ranked Porfirio Rubirosa as number one great......

From Mr Charles Fitzgerald Sir: Melanie Phillips, With...

ignorant of this country's history. The title so proudly claimed by every English monarch since Henry VIII (if, perhaps, to be relinquished by the next in line) is Fidel......

Rhyme And Unreason

From Mr Philip Hensher Sir: Much as one admires Michael Horovitz for not only reading and remembering a lot of aimless free verse about apple trees (Let- ters, 14 October), but......

A Kiss Is Just A Kiss

From Lord Grantley Sir: Tessa Keswick (`Kiss her quick, William', 30 September) argues that 'it is something of a scandal that more is not done by the Conservatives to address......

Letters Life Starts At Conception

From Mr M.G. Sherlock Sir: In 'A tale of two Churches' (14 Octo- ber) Melanie Phillips tries to explain away the Catholic position on abortion as a mis- interpretation of Old......

Untruths About The Us

From Mr Tim Mitchell Sir: Peter Hitchens's article (land of the free, home of the British', 23 September) is absolute tosh and I deeply resent any of my subscription monies......