30 MAY 1987, Page 21

Phoney service

Sir: In your leading article last week you claim that 'nationalisation does not work'. Presumably privatisation does.

How extraordinary that at the foot of the page you apologise for the fact that your telephone has not been working. 'A large part of our telephone system has been broken by British Telecom and has still not been mended after ten days. The company is unable to tell us what is wrong or when the full service will be restored.'

Perhaps you could explain the incon- sistency between the claims you make for privatisation and the reality.

Des Wilson

3 Endsleigh Street, London WC1