26 AUGUST 2000, Page 23

Union blues

From Mr Andrew Neil Sir: I was sorry to read that Andrew Marr (Letters, 19 August) felt it necessary to descend to unnecessary personal abuse rather than sticking to the issues. It is unbe- coming of the political editor of the BBC, and it is foolhardy for someone who looks like him. But I shall resist the temptation to retaliate in kind.

I note his support for the continued unity of the United Kingdom — though, having read both his books predicting (even relish- ing) its break-up, I fear that with friends like him the Union may well be in greater danger than I thought. But I still believe he will be proved as wrong about that as he is about my telephone screening system.

Andrew Neil

Grasse, France