Letter: Minimum wage helps small firms

Sir: Your leading article about New Labour's appeal to the small business community (11 February) has failed to understand what is happening.

Jack Woolley, long a stalwart of the Borsetshire Tory Party, is too old to change to New Labour now. On the other hand, more youthful businessmen such as Simon Pemberton may see things differently. That, indeed, is why Pemberton took on the role of Borsetshire organiser for New Labour last year.

It was this act which led the Grundys, formerly stalwarts of the Borsetshire constituency GMC, to depart for Arthur Scargill's SLP and, in turn, caused Pemberton's efforts to evict them from Grange Farm.

Much of this has, of course, remained hidden from listeners to The Archers, but it is the stuff of street conversation in north London where many of those who live in Ambridge have second homes.

KEITH FLETT

London N17