19 OCTOBER 2002, Page 40

Mr Major's silence

From Mr Joseph Palley Sir: It is striking how many former Tory foreign secretaries, including Lords Caradon, Howe and Hurd and Sir Malcolm Rifkind (`The Opposition must oppose', 5 October), have spoken out against the unilateral American invasion of Iraq without UN authorisation — with the notable exception of John Major. I had put Mr Major's silence down to his being European chairman of the American venture capitalists, Carlyle Group, which has close ties to the Bush–Cheney regime and is a major shareholder in two large US arms companies — United Defense Industries and the military shipbuilder, US Marine Repair. I see now that he has been preoccupied with the prospect of war with Edwina.

Joseph Palley

Richmond. Surrey