Tory history
From the Rt Hon. Julian Amery, MP Sir: In his Political Commentary of February 15, Patrick Cosgrave writes, "Mr Gilmour simply does not understand the history of the Conservative Party". In elaboration of this charge, he goes on to write "Disraeli and Salisbury . . . welcomed Joseph Chamberlain and his laissez-faire ideas on board".
Mr Cosgrave should go back to his books. Disraeli was dead (1881) five years before Chamberlain joined forces with Salisbury (1886). What Chamberlain brought to the Tory Party were not laissez-faire ideas but strongly interventionist policies both in social reform (Education and Health) and in economic policy (Tariff Reform). Salisbury welcomed the former even if he had reservations about the latter.
Whatever we may think of the contribution to Conservative thinking made by Disraeli, Salisbury and Joseph Chamberlain, they were all three interventionists by the standards of their time and criticised as such by their Liberal opponents.
Julian Amery 112 Eaton Square, London, SW1.
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