Sir: The frightening thing about George Young's letter is that
he may actually be sincere in what he is saying.
The last time I heard people discussing the 'liberation' of other people's property was in the College bar, when making off with an inattentive colleague's beer. Even then, it sounded better in the mouths of the revolutionary Left than the aspiring Tory types.
Then, having displayed a complete lack of understanding as to the nature of a lease — and, indeed, contractual obligations — Sir George went on to show his total lack of a sense of how the world really works by saying that . . the hallmark of a good deal is that it leaves both parties mildly unhap- py.' Somebody really ought to point out to him that the hallmark of a good deal is that both parties are very happy with it. The hallmark of the usual deal is that both par- ties are happy with it, whilst deals where both parties are unhappy (mildly or other- wise) tend not to get made.
In reality, the reassuring talk of 'deals', with the implication of voluntariness, is simply an attempt to disguise the fact that Parliament is proposing to force people to sell what they own and want to keep.
Marc Living
3 King's Bench Walk, London EC4
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