Letter: Lamont: a tale of contradictions

Sir: In his personal statement in the Commons yesterday ('Lamont fuels Tory doubts over Major's leadership', 10 June), Norman Lamont said that 'this recession has its origins in the boom of 1988 and 1989', making it 'inevitable'.

Later he boasted that, in his second Budget, 'the 20p income tax band helped us to win the election', and claimed credit for an unpopular third Budget. Then we learnt he does not believe that 'even the

timing of interest-rate changes should ever be affected by political considerations'.

As a layman, I'd welcome an article by Mr Lamont explaining precisely why interest-rate policy should be immune from political considerations, when - apparently - any other instrument of economic policy is fair game, with special reference to his behaviour as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Yours faithfully,

COLIN BARTLETT

Bournemouth,

Dorset

10 June