13 JANUARY 1996, Page 25

Sir: Paul Johnson tells us that he is fond of

quoting Mr Major's remark about Trol- lope's characters. I can well believe it. For- tunately, those Radio Four listeners who voted Mr Major 'Man of the Year' second only to the murdered headmaster, Philip Lawrence (with Tony Blair a long way behind), displayed a more mature judg- ment, uninfluenced by the petty snobbery of Mr Johnson and his cronies.

M.J. Dowsett

7 Lambs Close, Kidlington, Oxfordshire