Andrew Marr, in discussing the appointment of David Cameron as Foreign Secretary (Cover Story, 17 November), notes young people in particular find his appointment outrageous. I don’t think the young have a monopoly in outrage, and some of us are old enough to remember this being an issue before. Prior to the 1964 election, Harold Wilson intended Patrick Gordon Walker to be foreign secretary. He lost his seat of Smethwick after a racist campaign by his Tory opponent. Wilson made him foreign secretary anyway, but gave a life peerage to Reginald Sorensen. This provided a by-election for Gordon Walker to contest, which he promptly lost, at which point he was obliged to resign. I don’t think anyone suggested he be made a life peer to do the job from the Lords.
John Filby, Ashover, Derbyshire
[See also: Letter of the week: Diverse education]
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