Letter: Adams' bad temper

Sir: My reaction to the Mates-Adams television performance is that Colin Brown (29 September) was unfair in referring to it as 'a bad-tempered debate'.

Mr Mates - 'this man here' - behaved throughout with great restraint under constant provocation. The bad temper, insults and down-putting remarks were the sole contribution of Mr Adams - well meriting the one personal rejoinder that he 'isn't used to' free exchange of differing viewpoints in 'democratic debate'. Like Mr Mates, we can only hope that the Sinn Fein President will become used to it.

Yours faithfully,

RONALD F. WILLIAMS

Devizes, Wiltshire