Keith Melville

I read Dave Stewart’s confusing response to my letter last week (Beacon, February 6) when I criticised Labour’s capital gains tax.

Mr Stewart uses a biblical word to describe my opinion piece as an epistle of entitlement when I think he really meant it showed the epitome of entitlement.

He falsely accuses me, and other property investors, of believing we should not be obliged to pay tax like everyone else.

In that context, the word entitlement fits perfectly, but Mr Stewart misuses the word epistle.

An epistle is one of the New Testament letters. In describing my letter that way, he is giving me and my letter an aura of holiness, which I know is not deserved.

Maybe he meant to call me an apostle of enlightenment – one of the people Jesus chose to go out into the world to spread the good word.

Me as an apostle of enlightenment would make sense only if the term was used in a highly sarcastic way.

Mistakes, jokes and speculation aside, Mr Stewart’s use of epistle in his letter shows a little confusion.

He says my letter made him laugh, but reading Mr Stewart’s letter closely I got the impression he was bristling, rather than laughing.

He was right though in one sense when he refers to an epistle of entitlement.

Yes, I feel I am entitled to comment on left wing obsessions. That is because I have been down that left wing rabbit hole myself.

I found it wanting and emerged with the wisdom that comes with age.

There, that should leave Mr Stewart bellowing with laughter.

A few years ago, Mr Stewart bought me coffee when we hardly knew each other. I was impressed by his generosity and his sincerity, and I still hope we can sit down together in our favourite cafe, even with my friends, whom he asserts are from the political far right, and enjoy all our company.

I might even give him a hug, which I think he badly needs right now.