Sir

Thank you for your coverage of my appointment as parliamentary private secretary to the science minister, John Battle (Nature 387, 745; 1997). There is, however, one inaccuracy that I hope you will allow me to correct.

I enthusiastically supported Tony Blair in the leadership election three years ago. In fact I nominated him and worked actively in the campaign team to get him elected. There is no truth in your assertion that I declined to vote for him.