Tory durability

SIR – The Conservative Party is arguably the world’s oldest and most successful precisely because it does not have a prescriptive philosophy (Letters, April 9). This enables it to adapt to circumstances in order to remain relevant. It has done this many times in the past and will likely continue to do so.

Moreover, its members – at all levels – reflect a broad coalition of views, which the UK’S voting system encourages, and which successfully prevents extremists from holding the balance of power as they do in European-style coalitions. The Conservatives’ fundamental purpose is the defence of liberty – personal, economic and political.

This manifests itself in a political programme that empowers the individual by promoting the freedom to choose, decide, invest, prosper and inherit with minimum interference from the state. The party generally loses power when it moves too far away from these basic tenets, but its opponents consistently underestimate its ability to reform itself.

Philip Duly

Haslemere, Surrey

SIR – Grantham Museum’s refusal to rename itself the Margaret Thatcher Museum (Letters, April 9) is surely acting in the spirit of the Iron Lady herself, who never turned in the face of public opinion. Her birthplace, Grantham, already benefits from an imposing statue of her, which stands close to the museum and honours both Lady Thatcher and Grantham in the world’s eyes.

Peter Saunders

Salisbury, Wiltshire

SIR – I sincerely hope that the commemorative mugs (Letters, April 9) of Margaret Thatcher on sale at the Grantham Museum are made in my home city of Stoke-on-trent.

I’m sure the Iron Lady would have taken a dim view if they are imported.

Jane Moth

Stone, Staffordshire