24 JULY 2004, Page 24

From Frederick Forsyth Sir: If a sea captain makes a

grievous error and lives are lost, he will not walk away grinning. If an airline pilot does the same, he will probably never fly again. If a driver is stupid enough to fall asleep at the wheel and end up causing a train smash, he gets five years in jail.

But Lord Butler has created a new breed in our country living under a new law code. Politicians and mandarins, he decrees, can never, at any time, under any circumstances, be held responsible for anything. The rest of us must ruefully admit we're in the wrong job.

Frederick Forsyth

Hertford