Count me out
Sir: In its leader column of 10 May The Spectator confesses that, as Prime Minister, Blair arrived in Downing Street to a skilful- ly choreographed welcome from the crowds bussed in from Labour's headquarters at Millbank, waving union flags (made in China): 'Suddenly we were on Blair's side.'
Whoever 'we' were, please count me out.
Even worse, 'we' then plunged into a fit of selectively chosen statistics designed to justify 'their' detestation of those Tories who have both consistently argued that Britain should remain a self-governing, independent state and meant it.
The facts are that Europhile Hugh Dykes was defeated by an 18.09 per cent swing at Harrow East. Eurosceptic Michael Portillo went with a swing of 17.4 per cent at South- gate. Europhile Patrick Cormack survived a swing of 9.05 per cent. Arch-sceptic John Redwood, who accepted John Major's lead- ership challenge with a slogan 'No change — No chance', held the swing to 8.71 per cent.
I conclude that the only discernible pat- tern in individual constituency swings is that where the opportunity for tactical vot- ing to get John Major's government out was greatest, so was the swing. I find it depress- ing that The Spectator should descend to infantile selectivity in the effort to justify its editorial prejudice.
The electors saw no difference between Mr Major's policy of being 'at the heart of Europe' whilst 'waiting to see' and Mr Blair's policy of closer ties with Europe whilst waiting to see.
Having put Mr Major on probation in 1992 only for him to continue to offend, the electors seem to have agreed with Mr Blair's contention that 'enough was enough'.
Tebbit
House of Lords, London SW1
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