THE Archbishop of Canterbury raised Tory hackles as he smote the coalition government’s controversial policies.

Choking on their elevenses, the culprits at No 10 scurried hurriedly from their dark places of power to berate and dismiss his comments.

Oh, how they bleated as Canterbury lashed into them speaking words that the Tories prefer never to be spoken. Yet truer words ne’er were spoke.

Archbishop Williams criticised comparisons between the “deserving and undeserving poor”, the Big Society sham that no one understands and radical policies too hastily pursued by a government with no mandate to do so. Having been rumbled by Rowan Williams, the Government doesn’t like being preached to about the fear and hardship spreading in the UK.

As the Tories are usually bereft of a social conscience, one can only assume it was with indignant rage that they so speedily reacted to the criticism from this gentle and genteel archbishop.

Reminiscent perhaps of Archbishop Thomas Becket and his run-in with Henry II. Hopefully though David Cameron has not similarly misled his knights with Henry’s infamous words: “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?”

That would be going too far, even for the Tories.

More please, Archbishop.

T Scaife, Manor Drive, York.