24 MAY 1997, Page 24

LETTERS Lacking in compassion

Sir: You miss a major point in your com- ments on Mr Cook's initiatives regarding exploited Indian children and arms sales (Leader, 17 May), which is that hundreds and thousands of voters rejected the Con- servative party at the last election partly because your (and the party's) attitude on these and other matters of conscience — including political refugees and some other immigration problems — was seen as 'uncaring' while that of the Labour party was seen as 'caring'. The Conservative party will of course continue to have its own atti- tude to these problems, but it must find another and 'kinder' way of expressing them if there is to be any chance of another Tory government before 2050.

Derek Parker

41 Elsham Road, London W14