A letter to the Daily Telegraph which was published on 19th January 1998.

W F Deedes’s remarks on republican moves in Australia (Note-book, Jan. 12th) reflect the resigned and spiritless approach to things British which has dominated the conduct of our affairs from Suez to Mrs Thatcher.

Unless those of British descent who are still in the majority in Australia, envisage their virtual disappearance, the population of Australia will never be more than a tiny fraction of that of their huge neighbours to the north.

Of course, it makes as much sense for Australia as for Britain to build friendly relations with its geographical neighbours, but in a shrinking uncertain world, family ties are going to be at least as important, probably more.

It would be an unnecessary unmitigated tragedy if Australia were to break the symbolic link with its British heritage.  It would encourage all those who wish to diminish us both, at a time when Australia is the third highest investor in a Britain revitalised by Mrs Thatcher’s repudiation of the old defeatist ways.

A letter to the Daily Telegraph which was published on 16th November 1986.

Messrs Szakaly and Nadasy (Letters, November 9th) are wrong to propagate anew that old canard that Britain’s action at Suez in 1956 gave the Russians carte blanche to crush the Hungarian revolt.  In so far as two international actions can be, these two were entirely separate.  With or without Suez, there was never, nor has there ever been, a chance that the US and Britain would confront the Russians over Hungary, or over other Eastern European States for that matter.  The Russians know this and have known this at least since Churchill-Stalin discussions in October, 1944.

The reasons are that Hungary was conquered by Russians arms in 1944-45, having taken part in the invasion of Russia as an ally of Germany in 1941-43.  Between the wars Hungary was a military dictatorship within the German sphere of influence, while during the First World War she was, as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, of course again an ally of Germany against Russia and Britain.

While there was heartfelt sympathy for Hungary at the time of the abortive revolt in 1956, the fact is, so far as Britain is concerned, that no promises were made to Hungary and none were broken.