Letter: Real reason for Wilson resigning

Real reason for Wilson resigning

Sir: As a former biographer of Harold Wilson (Letters, 27 September), I am astonished at how many have missed the real key to his premature resignation provided some months ago by the former Conservative MP Dr Tom Stuttaford.

Wilson told Dr Stuttaford that his mother had suffered from senile dementia, or Altzheimer's, which had converted her from a widely respected ex-teacher into a figure of ridicule. As confirmed by his chief press officer, my friend Joe Haines, Wilson's mind did begin to go in his last weeks in office.

One wonders whether this public disclosure of a medical cause for Wilson's early retirement was ignored by the director of the TV programme concerned because of poor research or the belief that Wilson's paranoia about the security service provided a "sexier" TV climax.

ANDREW ROTH

London NW2