YOUR comment (LET, October 13) asked: "Has Hague lurched too far to the right?"

Answer: No.

Anyone who listened to his speech at Blackpool would not take that view.

As for Chris Patten, he has been out of mainstream politics in Britain for so long and now has become one of Tony Blair's poodles.

John Major should have spoken out and clarified his views before he was unceremoniously kicked out. And had the country supported them, then he may not have led his party to the edge of the precipice.

Douglas Hurd is now in the land of fiction, writing detective stories. He abandoned what he saw as a sinking ship.

Michael Heseltine should play out his role as Tarzan in some jungle, for you cannot run in two different directions at once, as it has appeared all through his political life.

As for Ken Clarke, he should pack up and join Tony full-time. There might even be a vacancy in the Cabinet, for Labour appears so devoid of talent.

As sure as it goes dark before morning, you can bet their last euro that is what their money will become - for by stealth or otherwise, that is what Tony wants.

WALT MEADOWS, Whalley New Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.