Margaret Thatcher as philistine

A letter to The Independent from the amazing Janey Buchan:

No great readers

Dear Sir,
I did enjoy Sebastian Faulk's report on his discussion with Kenneth Baker about his newly published anthology of English verse (15 April).
However, the most telling part of the interview was the obvious difficulty for the Secretary of State for Education had in recalling the name of any Cabinet colleague who could be described as a bibliophile - eventually emerging with the name of Douglas Hurd.
As a book-lover, married to another, and living in a house almost taken over by books, let me assist the Secretary of State. If he will look up a memorable interview of the Prime Minister by Russell Harty he will hear her, when asked about how important books are to her, and what she was then reading say: " I am presently re-readingFreddie Forsyth's Fourth Protocol."
She must be the only person in Britain who reads a whodunnit, knows who dunnit and then re-reads it to make absolutely sure.
Small wonder the Secretary of State for Education had difficulty in recalling a book-lover, let alone a bibliophile, among his colleagues. With leadership like that, who is brave enough to declare himself a book-lover?
Yours faithfully,
JANEY BUCHAN
MEP for Glasgow
Brussels
19 April

Letters, The Independent, Wednesday 20 April 1988, page 21