• I WAS very sorry to hear of the death of Frank Dobson MP, (Former health secretary Frank Dobson dies at 79, November 12).

Frank and I became good friends because we had one thing in common. We were both born on the Ides of March – the 15th – Frank in 1940, me in 1939 the day that Adolf Hitler marched into Czechoslovakia. When Frank was born Poland was invaded as well.

Frank’s children Sally and Tom did much to ensure Glenda Jackson was elected as the second Labour MP since Ben Whitaker in the north of the borough.

JOHN MACDONALD
Fellows Road, NW3