Letter: Home Secretary's crime proposals are short-sighted

Sir Concerning the present attack on the right to silence (report, 7 October), one is reminded of the supreme vindication of the sacredness of conscience delivered by Thomas More. More had been imprisoned for his support of the validity of the marriage between Queen Catherine and Henry VIII.

Charged with refusing to declare his mind on the law establishing Henry as Head of the Church of England, he uttered the following: 'Guilt lies in word spoken or deed done, not in silence; and neither your court nor any court in the world can hold me guilty for keeping silent.'

Yours faithfully,

SIMON NEILL

London, W5