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Letters to the Editor

Letters

Wednesday, 31st October 2007

Spectator readers respond to recent articles

The reporting from the courtroom has rightly taken witnesses seriously, as they have provided valuable new evidence. Witnesses have spoken of a second large dark car in the Alma tunnel, of motorcycles following the Mercedes closely, and at least one witness has described a blocking vehicle forcing the Mercedes to slow down. We have heard clearly of a white Fiat Uno zigzagging slowly on the slip-road to the tunnel, the driver adjusting his rear-view mirror as if ‘waiting for someone’.

Those in court have seen CCTV footage which shows a touching portrait of a couple in love moments before their fatal journey; of the allegedly drunk chauffeur Henri Paul bounding up and down stairs, two at a time; and the testimony of three witnesses referring to a blinding flash, conveniently ignored by Mr Gregory.

We are only a few weeks in, and already those who said there would be nothing new at these inquests have been silenced. Except for Martyn Gregory, who relies on rubbishing three barristers representing Mr Al Fayed, Henri Paul’s parents and the Ritz by stealing a very old joke from the magazine Private Eye (‘Hugefee QCs’).

Katharine Witty
Director of Press and Public Affairs,
Chairman’s Office, Harrods SW1

Appeals for a ref

Sir: Sir Malcolm Rifkind (‘A trap for Eurosceptic Tories’, 27 October) declares that the Conservatives must not offer a referendum on the Constitutional Treaty if it has already been ratified before they come into office. He glosses over the fact that Mr Cameron has already done so and he should no more go back on his promise (made in the Sun newspaper) than Mr Brown should go back on his.

Sir Malcolm seems to believe Britain should stay in the European Union at any price. There are others — myself among them — who believe that there is a price which is too high to pay.

Sir Malcolm thinks those who would stay at any price should be free to say so, but those who take my view are silly and wrong and should shut up. But what is the point of opposing the Treaty if we have no intention of renegotiating it when we return to office?

Rt Hon. Lord Tebbit CH
House of Lords, SW1