SIR: M Howarth's spiteful diatribe against magician Paul Daniels, who has expressed concerns about increased taxation under Labour is totally undeserved (Your views, June 21).

Paul started at the very bottom, playing to notoriously hard-bitten audiences in northern working-men's clubs. He was instrumental in putting magic and magicians back into television and other media after a long period in the doldrums during the 60s and early 70s.

He is Vice President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (of which I am myself a member), and was President of the Grand Order of Water Rats, a charitable organisation for two consecutive years. The latter was an unprecedented honour for a magician. David Nixon held that office for one year, which shows the esteem in which Paul is held by his show business colleagues.

Non-magicians will not be aware that Paul Daniels organises an annual car boot sale in the grounds of his (hard worked for) home where magicians sell their surplus effects, the proceeds going to charity.

Although Paul's stage persona does irritate some people he is undoubtedly a very fine magician equally at home with close-up magic or large stage illusions. He is in the same league as the late, much admired David Nixon, who B Howarth rated. I wouldn't mind betting that David also had the odd grumble about his tax bill, regardless of which political party happened to be in power at the time. So please B Howarth stop running down someone who has worked hard for everything he has got and has brought pleasure to millions.

Derek G Austin

Norton Street, Astley Bridge

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.