First of all, let me clarify that the gentleman of the Farrugia clan (with the name Jonathan) who kindly wrote in to second my protest at I. M. Beck and his arrogance has absolutely no kinship with me. We merely share the same vision for truth and honesty, probably. And, yes, good manners.

Beck and the lawyer behind this pen-name takes me to task for feeling "some slight sympathy" with some party or other. I do not need Beck to correct me with regard for whom I feel sympathy. Nor do I, in the least, feel subject to those of his ilk as regards my political sympathies - which happen to have no fixed colour at all. If he, indeed, feels that way, then it means he has never read my articles in previous years and in other media.

But then, unlike the lawyer behind Beck, I am a "snapping little pup". I wonder if I should take this as an insult or as another mere arrogant woof from this Doberman who cries Arrogance! at others who dare take him to task. A type of arrogance which The Times seems to be happy to publish, may I add, because, at the end of the day, freedom of speech is one thing but insulting the general readership, or a good portion thereof, is quite another.

Unlike him, I hold no multiple directorships, I have no shares, for all that I studied at universities for longer than he ever did. Moreover, I had to pay my way through, wherever I studied. But then, again, I wasn't choosy as to which university course I took: Some people are foresighted and take courses which they know will later bring money to them; others are not and I belong to the latter. Hence, again, I am not a person with many mouths with which to gorge and stuff myself, like Beck, but merely have one mouth and am quite happy with it. At the end of the day, I, a "snapping little pup", will be carried to the grave in a simple box of wood, just like Beck!

And with regard to the commissioning of thugs and depriving one of one's job, etc... may I point out to Beck that the thugs of 20 years ago have now transformed themselves into a different sort of thugs, wearing Armani clothes and brandishing mobile phone sets and fine laptops. The thugging and other manoeuvring still goes on - it just changed hands and tact.

Once again, it is worth reminding The Times of its duty to present its readership with columnists who are free from hidden agendas. It would be worth having a survey, now and again, among readers as to which pages are being read most and which pages are being ignored. The results may prove somewhat disquieting for people like Beck.

But then, Beck - who dismisses local elections and an MEP general election as mere "polls" - does not care a mickey for democratic principles that hit out at him, does he?