Category: politics
Lament of a Labour Leaver
unanswered letter to Keir Starmer MP, Labour Brexit spokesman, July 26 2019 Dear Keir, As you can see, I do not have the good fortune to live in your constituency, but I hope you might answer this letter as Shadow Brexit spokesman and as a potential replacement for Jeremy Corbyn. I am […]
Boris Johnson’s Post-Brexit Fawning And Grovelwell Office
Published in politics.co.uk August 14 2019 It is part of the price of Britain’s political life, especially if you become a minister. At some point you must give a speech for the sake of your party or government which is so cringingly horrible that it keeps you awake at night, repeating brokenly “Did I really […]
Lords of misrule
Letter published in Daily Mail July 18 2019 The Mail’s Investigations Unit did a public service by showcasing the lax rules on leave of absence from the House of Lords. Formally, peers are summoned to the House by the Queen. In beautiful 16th-century prose she calls on them to advise her on “certain arduous and […]
Share Your Shame
Dear X, I am certain that as an experienced politician you are aware of the widespread collapse of faith in our political system and our governing class in general. If you achieve your ambition to become Prime Minister you will need to reverse this urgently. Whatever this country’s future relationship with the EU, it faces […]
Trump Lost: Americans Want Something Better
published in the Yorkshire Post (slightly edited) November 7, 2018 In the world Donald Trump has created for himself, all events are an endless parade with himself taking the salute. Predictably he greeted his reverses in the midterm elections by Tweeting a gushing tribute from a political cheerleader: “Mr Trump has magic about him. This […]
Proper rules for peers
Proposals submitted to the House of Lords Sub-committee on Members Conduct It would be helpful to the general public, and perhaps also to members of the House, to consolidate the Code and the Guide into a single document. The Code Paragraph 1, add at end: “Membership of the House is, above all, a summons by […]
A blot on Parliament: the slack rules on peers and public affairs consultancies
The House of Lords rightly expects peers to register and declare any outside interest which a reasonable person might think capable of exercising an influence on their conduct in the House. Beneath this general obligation, the House wishes peers to list any clients to whom they provide advice on public affairs, or other public affairs […]
An example to today’s business leaders who trade with Putin
A British business leader boycotts Hitler From The Earl of Woolton’s Memoirs (Cassell 1959) “In 1938 the world was shocked by the relentless persecution of the Jews in Germany. Many were escaping to this country and to America, including some of the most eminent scholars and scientists in the world. Meanwhile, the ordinary […]
In Praise of Cecil Parkinson 1997
Former Tory chairman Cecil Parkinson gave the best performance I can remember by a politician responding to results on election night coverage. Cecil was on duty for the Tories in 1997. He did not make the mistake which many losing-party politicians make of trying to put any kind of positive spin on the results. He […]
WORLD EXCLUSIVE: 1983 Labour mystery man revealed
As Denis Healey’s chief of staff during Labour’s suicide-note election campaign of 1983, I attended many meetings of the party’s unwieldy campaign committee first thing in the morning. Chaired by Michael Foot, the committee spent much time debating such urgent topics as the size of lettering on stage sets, and exactly who should appear on […]
Harry Truman’s Biggest Mistake
On this day (April 12) in 1945 Harry Truman became President of the United States, on the death of Franklin Roosevelt. He won a famous re-election victory in 1948 to serve another term in his own right. Years later Truman was asked by his biographer, Merle Miller, to name his greatest mistake. Truman’s was an […]
Dear Mrs May: why are you shielding Tony Blair?
Letters to the Prime Minister and the Attorney General about the government’s decision to shield Tony Blair from a private prosecution for his conduct over Iraq Rt Hon Theresa May MP Prime Minister 10 Downing Street Dear Prime Minister, The media have reported today that the Attorney General has intervened to block a private […]
Simpering, Sidelined Harriet Harman
Published in Private Eye 1439 The otherwise excellent treatment in Literary Review (Eye 1438) of Harriet Harman’s simpering memoirs failed to mention their most astonishing allegation. She claims that as Solicitor-General during the run-up to the Iraq war she was barred from any papers or meetings about the legality of the war on orders from […]
Gerald Kaufman 1930-2017
After two attempts in the 1950s Gerald Kaufman became a Labour MP in 1970. He has represented people in inner-city Manchester ever since. I suspect that he could retrieve the details of every constituency case he has handled, with the same facility as recalling the credits of movies and lyrics from musical comedy. Before entering […]
Blair should face manslaughter charges over Iraq
unpublished letter to Daily Telegraph Three servicemen face prosecutions for manslaughter over highly-disputed allegations against their conduct during the aftermath of the Iraq war. No penalty of any kind has been imposed on the people who sent them into an unnecessary and unlawful war, failed to plan the occupation of Iraq and gave them tasks […]
Don’t appease Putin (Letter published Evening Standard August 18, 2016)
In praising the Prime Minister today (August 16th) for her attempt to improve relations with Putin’s Russia, Sir Christopher Meyer gave a long list of issues where he evidently expects no concession on Putin’s side: aggression in the Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, rearmament, threats to our allies in the East, shielding the prime suspects for […]
EU referendum: Don’t be afraid of the wine waiter
A REMAIN vote in the EU referendum is for people who are afraid to argue with the wine waiter. We’ve all met the worst sort of this species. The one who sneers at you and thinks your opinion is worthless compared to his and tries you feel stupid or guilty about anything you choose from […]
EU REMAIN: a bus trip with Lord Curzon
Every time I hear a REMAINER talk about reforming the EU from within, or simply about British influence over it, I am reminded of the famous story from the 1920s about Lord Curzon’s only known journey on a London bus. When the conductor (all buses then had one) came to seek his fare, Lord Curzon […]
Denis Healey 1917-2015
published in the Yorkshire Post October 5, 2015 With Denis Healey, we have lost not only a political giant but a piece of our history and our collective memory. Born during the First World War, he fought with distinction in the Second and helped to shape the postwar world. He knew every Prime Minister since […]
Everybody’s General Election Manifesto
The Rival Candidates’ Song from Membear Of Parliament Candidate 1 (Mr Aardvark): In all my time in politics, My friends will all agree I never dodge the issue I say just what I see. That’s why I tell you firmly (It’s what I’ve always said) The past is now behind us The future lies ahead. […]
BaShed NeePs
Anti-SNP Letter published in Evening Standard (London) 30 March 2015 It is increasingly likely that the next government will have to take office on terms dictated by the SNP, a party which treats the English as an enemy and does not want to remain in the same country. So the new Parliament must meet immediately […]
Appeal to party leaders: don’t solicit religious votes
Letter sent to seven major party leaders in Great Britain 6 March 2015 I hope that you share my belief that religious politics are a scourge to any nation. For that reason, I am asking all the leaders of the main political parties in Great Britain to make some simple pledges for the period up […]
The Iraq inquiry: a narrative verdict?
Dear Prime Minister, Delayed publication of the Iraq inquiry report I have written to you several times on this matter, but I would now like to give you a fresh proposal, which should allow for early publication of the major part of the Iraq inquiry’s report. It was aired by Mr Greg Mulholland MP at […]
YP Remembering Richard Nixon
published in the Yorkshire Post 9 August 2014 Like almost everyone of my generation, I remember where I was when John F Kennedy was killed. But I can also remember where, forty years ago [today – 9 August 1974], I heard Richard M Nixon resign the Presidency of the United States. I was sharing a […]