• Selecting our masters
Sir,: What a sad mix-up Mr Auberon Waugh (14 February) seems to be with his personal prejudices prickling through the blanket of nonsense he writes. He even argues that if a candidate were titled be would automatically take preference over a commoner in the eyes or a Conservative selection committee and yet complains that titled Sir Anthony Meyer was turned down in favour of plain Mr Carol Mather.
It may interest Mr Waugh. and possibly some of your readers, to know that immediately prior to the selection meeting of the general council of the Esher branch the odds appeared heavily in favour of Sir Anthony. Many of us had tentatively decided from the information we had received that he would be our choice. In fact, as you know, there was a complete re- versal of opinion. No doubt you wonder why but I do not think it would be proper to give full reasons in an open letter. Suffice to say that the general council—over 400 of them— apparently did not care for Sir Anthony's address nor did they like the way he answered, or partially answered questions. Apart from earning his fee for his article and airing his own peculiar opinions for what they are worth Mr Waugh indirectly denigrates Mr Mather whilst gratuitously insulting the members of the Esher branch general council. What a sad dis- appointment he must be to his illustrious forebears.
I, too, have played the make-yourself-a- cabinet game although I was looking at the Government benches and whilst Mr Waugh Was 'a little alarmed' at the results of his game I am truly horrified at the result of mine. Heaven help us all if there is not a change in govern- ment before long!
Naturally, Mr Editor, I realise you will not publish this letter (too pointed, eh?) but it has given me some pleasure to express my views of Mr Waugh and I hope, at least he will be given the opportunity of reading it.
T. R. Tweedy Willow Hill, Park Close, Esher
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