Ex-Liberal peer to new Liberal peer
Sir : The explosion of loyalty towards his fellow Liberal peers with which Lord Avebury begins his new and I am sure fertile career is, I supPose, some compensation for the reluctance he showed to join them. His dislike of the observation that Liberal peers tend to come from Liberal families and to have been educated at Eton is more significent than the observation itself; such facts are neutral. I do not consider such a background is a disqualification for a political life, even within the Liberal party, and further, am happy to state that no political deficiencies among the Liberal peers, whether remarked on by me or not, played any part in my reasons for resigning from the Liberal party, in case Lord Avebury actually believes, as he implies he believes, they did. At the same time Lord Avebury seems eager to enter a political discussion only after he has sought to eliminate from it all elements of substance — no personalities, no vulgar motives, no fortuitous circumstances, no classes, races or nations, and even, as he interestingly observes, no votes. If he is basing his claim for the value of the Liberal party on its moral superiority, then those of us without direct access to the source of this confidence, can only study their policies. And their inadequacy is not refuted, it is probably explained, if the party's leaders prefer righteous announcements to the risks of choosing policies which bear a relationship to the problems of life on earth.
Hugh Reay 11 Wilton Crescent, London SW!
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