Letter: Coping with crime

Sir: I note that Mr Andrew Dismore, solicitor and Labour MP, is attacking barristers for taking holidays, suggesting that they earn so much in the rest of the year that they can obviously afford it ("QC's holiday keeps client behind bars", 10 August).

It little befits a man currently enjoying a three-month holiday from the House of Commons (paid for by the taxpayer, of course) to attack a profession who, he wrongly believes, all take annual two-month unpaid holidays. No doubt, as Mr Dismore feels that it is wrong for another profession to take unpaid holidays, he will be donating his three months' holiday pay to charity and returning immediately to his important work in the House.

RICHARD CRAVEN

London WC1