Letter: Private lives in a public realm

Sir: If, as Virginia Bottomley says, it was 'no secret' that she had her son three months before she was married, why is she so concerned about guarding her privacy? ('Bottomley protests over Independent report', 11 July). The matter seems to have been, on her own admission, common knowledge to all, and as your editor, Andreas Whittam Smith, points out, no disreputable fact has been unearthed.

What is so repugnant is the sanctimonious hypocrisy exuding from those who ought to know better, including Sir Norman Fowler - a hypocrisy that we came to accept as normal under Margaret Thatcher, but which, one hoped, had been finally laid to rest.

Yours faithfully,

E. H. TURNER

Winnersh,

Berkshire

13 July