The Spectator

Home Gross Domestic Product grew by 0.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2011, after a quarter in which growth was 0.5 per cent, according to the Office for National Statistics, which took the trouble to mention extenuating circumstances such as the Japanese tsunami and the royal wedding. Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, urged George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to cut taxes, including the top rate of 50 per cent. BP made profits of £3.2 billion in the second quarter, less than expected. Sales of beer fell in the second quarter by 15 per cent in supermarkets and 4.5 per cent in pubs. Amy Winehouse, the singer, was found dead at home; she was 27. Lucian Freud, the painter, died, aged 88. Fran Landesman, the poet and performer, died, aged 83.

The right path Sir: I have always had the greatest respect for Matthew Parris’s incisive comments. However, in his latest column (23 July), he misreads Tory supporters. The Conservative Home survey was statistically accurate. The views expressed were those of thousands of voters and reflect their opinions on ‘U-turn Cameron’. The most frequent comment about him is ‘we do not know what he stands for and if we did, he will change it when he wants’. That is why he did not win the 2010 election, in which he should have wiped the floor with the Labour party. No doubt support could have been found for 10 more ‘pet hates’ from participants. However Nos 1 to 10 were quite sufficient to reflect the majority views of many voters.