Sir: Jeremy Paxman's guide to the wiliness of politicians in
interviews alludes to the existence of the politicians' closed shop. It is worth recording explicitly their insistence on discussing issues on radio and television current affairs programmes either individu- ally or with their opposite numbers in other parties, but emphatically not with non- politicians.
So Labour's front-bench spokesmen refuse to take part in live discussions with anyone but the holder of the equivalent portfolio in the Government, as I discov- ered when David Blunkett declined to debate the charitable status of independent schools and imposition of VAT on school fees with me on Radio 4's The World This Weekend on New Year's Day. We were therefore interviewed separately, and very effectively, by James Cox. But a tripartite discussion could have proved still more illu- minating for listeners.
D.J. Woodhead
Independent Schools Information Service, 56 Buckingham Gate, London SW1
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