The letter below was e-mailed to four national newspapers as dated; it was published in the Guardian, page 20, on October 17, 1997. The actual text is reproduced here verbatim complete with one very minor textual error (as far as I can ascertain!).
The same letter, edited more severely, was published in the London Evening Standard, CITY PRICES, October 20, 1997, page 65, where it appeared with several others under the heading BRIEFLY.
A PDF of the letter as actually published in the Guardian is linked below.
93c Venner Road,
Sydenham,
London SE26 5HU.
0181 659 7713
E-Mail A_Baron@ABaron.Demon.Co.UK
October 15, 1997
Sir,
The latest "revelations" about the Conservative MP Piers Merchant
are no doubt causing hysterical laughter the length and breadth
of "Fleet Street". I would though - as a non-Conservative - like
to say something in defence of Mr Merchant. From November 1st
last year until May 1st this year I spent six months in Brixton
Prison after a police frame-up. During that time the powers-that-
be did everything in their power to destroy me. Among other
things, the housing benefit office refused to pay my rent. Piers
Merchant went to considerable lengths to have this restored and
finally had it not only restored but backdated. If it hadn't been
for my saintly MP I would have been left homeless and stranded in
spite of my acquittal.
When an earlier attempt was made to dislodge Mr Merchant, he
received a massive vote of confidence from well over 90% of this
constituency party. Obviously they were just as satisfied as
myself with Mr Merchant's performance as an MP and realised that
it is on how well a Member of Parliament serves his constituents
that he should be judged, not on how he allegedly conducts his
personal life.
Yours sincerely,
A Baron
Click here for the letter as published in the Guardian
Click here for an obituary of Piers Merchant
Back To Correspondence And Open Letters Index
Back To Site Index