LETTERS : Cherie Blair and the poll tax defaulter

Last week, our main front-page article reported that Cherie Blair, a barrister and the wife of the Labour leader Tony Blair, had acted in a series of cases for councils pursuing poll tax defaulters. In one case, she asked a judge to return a bail ed defaulter to jail. We also reported that she had given a conference paper on how to enforce the law, including the threat of prison, against defaulters. A leader explained our decision to publish the story.

In response, we received nearly 100 letters. A large majority of these said we were wrong to give the story such prominence. Below, we publish a selection.

AS MADE plain in your editorial, your attack on Cherie Blair is calculated to stir up animus against her in members of the Labour Party, in people of both sexes who have a visceral antipathy to women who lead an active life. It is reminiscent of the campaigns against Glenys Kinnock and Hillary Clinton.

Your attack increases immeasurably our sympathy and respect for Mrs Blair.

Gil Elliot, Anita Elliot London NW1