11 JUNE 2005, Page 18

A settled debt

From Robert Triggs Sir: I should like to pay tribute to the far reaching influence of the letters page in The Spectator. In the edition of 29 January this year I drew attention to an outstanding debt of £3 incurred against me by Robert Jackson MP in his earlier incarnation as president of the Oxford Union in 1967. Soon after publication of this letter, I received a personal invitation from Mr Jackson to tea in the House of Commons. Not only did he set aside a full hour of his time to give me an account of his political odyssey — he recently crossed the floor of the House to become the Labour member for Wantage — but he scrupulously repaid the debt and gave me a fascinating insight into current political debate.

Robert Triggs

Oxford