Letter: Responsibilities of the moralisers

From Mr Fenner Pearson

Sir: We have all grown used to the apparent inability of politicians from all parties to admit when they are in the wrong, but David Alton's performance ("Secret lives of the new moralisers", 1 September) was exceptional. Asked "Do you do your own ironing?", he replies: "I know how to iron, and did so regularly before I got married." Presumably he means "no". Even this pales next to his reply to "When did you last give blood?": "I don't. I campaign for the local blood transfusion centre but decided not to start donating because I didn't want to be accused of political opportunism."

Incidentally, Richard Dawkins describes blood donation as the one completely altruistic act he can think of. Of your 10 chosen moralisers, only one out of seven able to donate blood had done so in the past three years.

Yours faithfully,

Fenner Pearson

Kearstwick,

Cumbria

1 September