Letter: Briefly

I find tedious the trend for journalists to refer to Peter Mandelson in place of his boss, Tony Blair ("Democracy out of focus" 13 July). The concept of string pullers is nothing new. In Robert Bolt's A Man For All Seasons, the Spanish ambassador enquires of Thomas Cromwell why the latter has no official title. Cromwell, after mocking the justices, chancellors and admirals as only representing "the ancient English Constitution" succinctly replies, "I merely do things."

Michael P Ward, Stockport