Letter: Smear on police

Sir: The Conservatives' criticism of Jack Straw over the published names of informants in the Lawrence report is asinine. It implies that the Home Office should have been allowed to scrutinise, well in advance of its public appearance, an independent inquiry report and been given powers to query parts of it, and to request changes, in time for correction prior to publication. That would have rendered the label "independent" redundant. The whole idea is ludicrous.

PAUL WALTER

Newbury, Berkshire