There were a couple of omissions from Andy Beckett’s otherwise excellent piece on Chile (The 1973 coup against democratic socialism in Chile still matters – there, in Britain and beyond, 18 August). First, Beckett greatly underestimates the British government’s support for the refugees and the extent to which there was organised, widespread national opposition in Britain to the military regime.
Second, he fails to mention the role of Judith Hart, who – as the responsible government minister, appointed in 1974 – transferred all aid money allocated to the academic campaign to help Chilean refugees.
