Qualifications
Sir: I am not quite clear of the logic behind the remarks about myself in your 'Notebook' on 15 May.
I understand it to be that because I write in favour of sexual freedom in a magazine of
which the author (no doubt Mr Georg Hutchinson) does not approve, I am tal: qualified to take the view that the leader 01 my political party by his actions and the actions of his friends have forfeited the trust of their colleagues.
There seem to be at least two pieces of extremely muddled thinking here. Firstly if we accept (only for the purposes of argument) the disapproval of the paper" question I would put forward the suggestion that it is better to talk sense in a bad paPef than nonsense in a good paper.
Secondly, the feeling that Mr Thorpe had to resign had nothing whatsoever to do WO his sexual life. As an ex-chairman of the Albany Trust and a member of the Exe' cutive Committee of the Sexual Law Reforta Society I do not believe a political leader's standing should in any way depend upon his, sexual behaviour. I do believe that it shoula depend to a certain extent on his judgmeati,..11 choosing his friends and deciding how rale" of the truth he and they should tell to his colleagues.
Tim Beaumont 2 Perri ns Lane, London NW3
Mr George Hutchinson was not the auth°I. of the note.—Editor, Spectator.
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