Tory leadership

Sir: In his recent speech Sir Keith Joseph admitted that inflation had been increased by the monetary policies of the Conservative Government of which he was himself a member.

Certainly this discovery would have been even more impressive if made before rather than after the event. However it is presumably a case of better late than never; even now we hear no such admission from Mr Heath. The third mate may have been rather slow to spot errors of navigation, but from the skipper there is still no hint of recognition that these errors helped to drive his ship on to the rocks.

In an article which appeared before the election in the Daily Telegraph, Sir Keith remarked that some of our economic troubles may derive from the very obsession with economics; this attracted public comment, yet it seerns to me more significant than almost all the official proclamations, Labour as well as Conservative.

The endless parade of statistics of GNP, the prating of 'league tables' of economic growth, is not only sterile, dehumanising and demoralising, but by the same token it is finally — the ultimate horror — not even truly economic. When Britain was a major economic power she also had a deeprooted belief in herself and some vision extending far beyond figures of productivity.

The one lasting achievement of Mr Heath's four years in office seems to be the way he nagged, dragged, browbeat or bulldozed Britain into the EEC (I avoid the current distortion 'into Europe', since Europe extends much wider than the Six or the Nine). At best the Common Market never amounted to more than a giant red herring, distracting attention from our basic problems. After nearly two years' experience inside the Valhalla we hear remarkably little about the dynamic stimulation which it was supposed to exert on British industry.

I think it is not unfair to Mr Heath's many virtues to describe him as typifying that purely pragmatic, unemotional and managerial approach which the Conservative Party has had ample time to weigh in the balance and to find sadly wanting.

A. D. Margolis Little Croft, Tudwick Hall Farm Road, Tudwick, near Tiptree, Essex Sir: Congratulations to Patrick Cosgrave on another excellent and necessary article on the Tory leadership. But he need not worry that a "spin of the wheel" might return Heath as Prime Minister. The Conservative leader may have 'told the truth" about the crisis (a pretty feeble qualification for office) but the voter has already signified twice within one year that he is not acceptable to solve it (particularly so as one of its creators).

The dismal fact is that Heath as Tory leader gives Labour a permanent licence to rule. He is the Socialists' secret weapon, and that is why his "angry will". must continue to be opposed.

John Wauchope The Old Rectory, Ripe, near Lewes, Sussex Sir: According to Mr Cosgrave the general election in February was deservedly lost by Mr Heath. In point of fact he beat Mr Wilson by over 300,000 votes. There is, on the other hand, sympathy for Sir Alec Douglas-Home, though he actually did lose in 1964 by more than 200,000_ Cannot The Spectator have the charity to admit that in February Mr Heath was defeated by the eccentricity of the electoral system?

M. B. Daniels 134 Bradshaw Road, Bradshaw, Bolton Sir: In typically British fashion (which includes making the best of a future by calling it a success), a smoke screen in support of Ted and Co is being put out by those mostly associated with him, by means of erroneous claims which deserve comment.

One is that under Ted we at least did far better than we otherwise would have done under someone else in recent elections. In fact we need never have lost the elections at all, had it not been that Ted was so cocksure with his opinion polls that he decided to dispense with the six or more 1922 Committee Northern Irish MPs in advance of the February election without telling them, only to unsuccessfully back pedal after that cat came out of the bag as the results came out. His attempt to woo them back could hardly succeed when he had first chosen to power share with Liberals rather than his own political ilk. Most others would not have taken such ill-judged risks with so much at stake, of their own choosing.

The Mr Heath's judgement is said to be 'sound' and that he will be proved right, etc, having told the 'truth' at the last election. But actually, on two occasions last year, once at the Blackpool Conference and then later at the Institute of Directors Meeting, he insisted that our problems were "ones of success." What percipience! The real truth which grass root Tories are now beginning to grasp is that besides the obvious truth that we have a crisis, Mr Heath and his close colleagues had a great deal to do with making that crisis, i.e. the non-oil pact. Furthermore in refusing to accept any responsibility and insisting that they are still therefore the best of a bad bunch, so should retain their positions, they are the ones who are making a spectacle of their party when an election cannot be avoided either way after some nine years of office.

William Baird The Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London SW1 Sir: Now that Mr Enoch Powell has succeeded in wrecking the once great Conservative Party I suggest he be given the task of rebuilding it! He is the only man of any stature who is capable of doing just that and only hope that when the Conservative MPs face the issue they have the sense to realise it.

To suggest any other person is surely a sick joke.

E. Walton 6/8 Town End, Great Horton Road, Bradford, Yorkshire Sir: Mr Robin Harris in his reply to my letter (November 23) has totally missed the point and made totally spurious suggestions.

The party leadership and the EEC are certainly very important questions and I did not suggest they were mundane. My letter only attacked The Spectator's views which although I do not accept, I do respect.

From Mr Harris's letter it seems that any pro-Europe supporter of Mr Heath is sensitive and selective. If so, there are certainly many selective and sensi

sThs Spectator November 30, 1974 tive members of the Conservative Party I did attend the meeting of the Oxford wUnhiiovhersRikoyoaConservative idonBseeri aatdivderesAsssocaiaii° found his views narrow-minded. IllivddA'l not bored and I did listen carefully an as many others did, I came away wit" tthee cfeeelninsetviv feeling tyispvairew.s were not of the kind that would revitalise and restore h It is Party s tipatoy

debate from all shades of opinion an not by rushed decisions which may regretted in the future. be all fortunes reess rev ptoonshibelid

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Magdalen College, OxfordichaelPari4r