Rise of childfree politicians

Sir, - I see the rise in Europe of child-free political leaders of both sexes continues with Angela Merkel, Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon on one side of the fence while Alex Salmond and Emmanuel Macron neatly side-stepped the issue by marrying women more senior.

Remaining single tends to raise other issues as Ted Heath discovered but that rising European star, Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, finds bachelorhood no disadvantage.

The only other childfree British prime minis-

ters in the 20th century were the (unmarried) Arthur Balfour (1902-05) and Henry Campbell-Bannerman (1905-08). Rev Dr John Cameron. 10 Howard Place, St Andrews.