SIR,—Mr. Fairlie animadverts on a weakness of Mr. Gaitskell, namely
his 'tendency to believe that Parliamentary issues are political issues.' Mr. Fairlie himself has a weakness which he shares with every other political commentator I know, namely that he shows no sign of realising the fundamental principle underlying the way this country, this wonder- ful England, is governed, It is quite simple. When an issue is truly crucial, fundamental and dangerously controversial you just don't discuss it.
Of half a dozen examples that leap to the mind I would mention only the redistribution of income that is going on all the time. Our egalitarian civilisation is rotten with the implicit assumption that the erg, robot or routine worker has a right to a higher standard of living than the artist or professional man whose every official act almost requires the use of the creative faculties of the mind. I challenge anyone to produce a single reference to this fatal revolution in the recent speeches of a practising politician. No wonder Britain is easy to govern !—Yours faithfully,
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