23 APRIL 1965, Page 10

Of course, political public relations are full of booby traps.

For instance, Mr. Edward du Cann, the Tory Party chairman, has made Sir Alec look foolish by permitting—if not encouraging—the ludicrous publicity surrounding Mr. T. F. Thompson's appointment as his 'special tactical adviser.' It is one thing to make such an appoint- ment (and Mr. Thompson, as a talented journalist, will no doubt do the Tories good service). It is another to let it appear that hitherto the matter of tactics had somehow been crassly overlooked. Mr. du Cann may need a tactical adviser, for all I know: but it was hardly good tactics to seem to imply that Sir Alec, and his entire Shadow Cabinet for that matter, were all in equal need.

WATCHMAN