I think he was trying to emphasise that you, unusually for your generation, actually did bear the brunt of the Woke. But I agree that the phrasing is somewhat unclear and should be changed.
Another factor perhaps is that the Tory ‘right’ was easily bought off by persuading itself that it was part of the establishment and would have the privileges that go with it. That was a hollow bargain, given the war on private schools.
Great characterization of Thatcher , I have been reading about her recently preparing for an interview , people describe
Thatcherism as it was just about blind deregulation—I took it to be more about courage. The guts to take on entire industries, break calcified systems, and spark renewal. In the 21st century, we’ve kept the slogans but lost the whole point of Thatcherism
Deema, I think you have superbly captured the spirit of that attempt at diverting that calamity that was clearly down the tracks and we have now fully arrived at.
Thatcher was pushed into a number of less than ideal choices by a party already mostly lib-dem orientated, but her real significance was in just showing that unflinching resistance was indeed possible.
The cultural space for conservatism, let alone a Conservative party, has shrunk greatly. Where once conservatism was the natural order of things - more women voting conservative than men in the fifties - it took Thatcher who, first and foremost according to her biographer Charles Moore, was a preacher to reassert conservatism. Her time is looking like a last hurrah. She claimed the facts of life were conservative. But are they that any more? Who is preaching these days and reclaining and enlarging the cultural sopace for conservatism? Not the Conservatives nor Reform with its various sound bites lacking any coherence or philosophy. The right do not have much time. Demographic changes and the 'decolonisation' of teaching and institutions (= removing our culture and traditions) are seeing to that.
The facts of life remain Conservative, but the reawakening of that realisation has been delayed by quantitative easing, a facility Mrs Thatcher would not have wanted to use, with the Barber experiment and double-digit inflation still seared on the Conservative Party's mind.
The bond markets have either been captured or haven't yet woken up - the yield today on a 10 year Greek government bond is about 3.3%, yet you would plainly be insane to give the Greek government your life savings for a promise of a return that is slightly negative in real terms, when your capital would be just as safe and earn more from an income focused investment trust. If the bond markets ever awaken to reality, it will indeed be to remind us that the facts of life are Conservative.
True, though there are many of us who used to be pro-status-quo liberal types (even progressive on some issues) who are now very much feeling that a resurgence of conservatism is the only hope for society. So there is still the possibility that more people snap out of it and help reverse the direction of travel.
David Starkey
I don’t understand the writer’s reference to me in his penultimate paragraph. Could he please expand/elucidate?
But I can testify from personal experience that cancellation (like Dr Johnson’s hanging) concentrates the mind wonderfully.
It’s giving me new energy; new focus and an unapologetic desire for vengeance: again the blob in general and Starmer as its embodiment in particular.
I think he was trying to emphasise that you, unusually for your generation, actually did bear the brunt of the Woke. But I agree that the phrasing is somewhat unclear and should be changed.
Another factor perhaps is that the Tory ‘right’ was easily bought off by persuading itself that it was part of the establishment and would have the privileges that go with it. That was a hollow bargain, given the war on private schools.
I think it was meant as a compliment.
Great characterization of Thatcher , I have been reading about her recently preparing for an interview , people describe
Thatcherism as it was just about blind deregulation—I took it to be more about courage. The guts to take on entire industries, break calcified systems, and spark renewal. In the 21st century, we’ve kept the slogans but lost the whole point of Thatcherism
Deema, I think you have superbly captured the spirit of that attempt at diverting that calamity that was clearly down the tracks and we have now fully arrived at.
Thatcher was pushed into a number of less than ideal choices by a party already mostly lib-dem orientated, but her real significance was in just showing that unflinching resistance was indeed possible.
A brilliant article. I feel less 'alone', knowing I'm not the 'outlier' having similar thoughts.
As the saying goes 'I can feel it in my waters - something is brewing'.
Not 15 years. It's 25 years. (1995 to 2020)
It's been edited :-)
The cultural space for conservatism, let alone a Conservative party, has shrunk greatly. Where once conservatism was the natural order of things - more women voting conservative than men in the fifties - it took Thatcher who, first and foremost according to her biographer Charles Moore, was a preacher to reassert conservatism. Her time is looking like a last hurrah. She claimed the facts of life were conservative. But are they that any more? Who is preaching these days and reclaining and enlarging the cultural sopace for conservatism? Not the Conservatives nor Reform with its various sound bites lacking any coherence or philosophy. The right do not have much time. Demographic changes and the 'decolonisation' of teaching and institutions (= removing our culture and traditions) are seeing to that.
The facts of life remain Conservative, but the reawakening of that realisation has been delayed by quantitative easing, a facility Mrs Thatcher would not have wanted to use, with the Barber experiment and double-digit inflation still seared on the Conservative Party's mind.
The bond markets have either been captured or haven't yet woken up - the yield today on a 10 year Greek government bond is about 3.3%, yet you would plainly be insane to give the Greek government your life savings for a promise of a return that is slightly negative in real terms, when your capital would be just as safe and earn more from an income focused investment trust. If the bond markets ever awaken to reality, it will indeed be to remind us that the facts of life are Conservative.
True, though there are many of us who used to be pro-status-quo liberal types (even progressive on some issues) who are now very much feeling that a resurgence of conservatism is the only hope for society. So there is still the possibility that more people snap out of it and help reverse the direction of travel.
Why do you call Peter Hitchens Patricia?
Because the author does not like him and finds it amusing.
He is the only true British patriot and someone who can claim he has been right on pretty much everything
I read The Abolition of Britain for the first time last year and it's a brilliant book. So, so relevant.
Very mature.
Decent. Although I wouldn't put much stock in Beattie. Kremlin asset if ever I saw one.