20 JULY 1996, Page 24

Sir: Lloyd George indeed spoke of the defeated Tories in

1906 as dying with their drawn salaries in their hands, but he was echoing Charles Dickens in Little Dorrit who speaks of Henry Gowan as .. a com- missioner of nothing in particular . and had died at his post with his drawn salary in his hand, nobly defending it to the last'. David Greenhalgh

3 Cricket Lawns, Oakham, Leicestershire