14 JULY 1984, Page 5

Two of the three winners of this year's Somerset Maugham

Awards, which are made `to enable young British authors to enrich their writing by experience in foreign countries', are regular writers for the Spec- tator: Peter Ackroyd wins for his novel The Last Testament of Oscar Wilde, Timothy Garton Ash for his study The Polish Revolution: Solidarity. Both have already lived and travelled abroad, but neither will object to being awarded an extra £1,000 for the purpose. It is particularly gratifying to observe, lest any accusation of an inside job should be levelled, that none of the three judges, Susan Hill, David Lodge and Polly Toynbee, has special connections with the Spectator.