Letter: Borrowed policies

Sir: I was amused to see that that brilliant political magpie, Tony Blair, at it again in your newspaper on 21 September. Not content with borrowing the best bits of other parties' policies, Mr Blair has borrowed the title of the Tory Reform Group's 1996 statement of political philosophy New Policies for a New Century and adapted it into New Politics for the New Century. How strikingly original.

I am rather glad that we did not stick the appellation "The Third Way" on the front as Mr Blair has done. It may have escaped his notice, but Third Way is the title of a magazine published by a breakaway faction of the National Front.

One Nation Conservatism is the true Middle Way (as Harold Macmillan called it) between the tired failure of state socialism which Mr Blair and his party disastrously advocated for so long, and the cruel con of the unfettered free market. Mr Blair should either cross the floor and join Ken Clarke or think up some policies of his own.

NICHOLAS KENT

Vice Chairman (Policy)

Tory Reform Group

London SW1