John Platts-Mills

• IN the mid-1970s, following the coup in Chile, I represented the National Union of Students on the national committee of the Chile Solidarity Campaign.

In that capacity I spoke one evening at the University of St Andrews alongside John Platts-Mills, the star speaker. After the meeting we shared a compartment on the sleeper train back to London.

I woke in the morning to realise Mr Platts-Mills was sitting on the edge of the lower bunk polishing my shoes. I politely pointed out that he was shining the wrong shoes.

“Not at all”, said he. “Old habit. Hope you don’t mind. I do it for my sons every day.”

Already a big fan of his, this cemented a special affection that has been happily revived by the letter in last week’s edition of the CNJ, (Memories of John Platts-Mills, April 3).

JOHN CARR
Oak Village, NW5