13 NOVEMBER 1999, Page 43

Edwards's bon mots

From The Revd RG. Holloway Sir: Chris Patten did not 'invent' for Mar- garet Thatcher the brilliant phrase 'The facts of life are Tory' (Politics, 6 Novem- ber). Out of the mouths of the two Edwards (Heath and du Cann) I heard 'The facts of life are Conservative' at the London meet- ing of parliamentary candidates just before the 1966 general election.

Roger Holloway

2 Porchester Gardens, London W2