I think Hague is the best PM that never was. His timing was awful and should have waited a few years before becoming leader of the Conservative Party. However hindsight is a wonderful thing!
interesting video. I like both of them - Portillo and Hague. Yes, William's timing was very unfortunate after New Labour surge and good PR management. But at least he has rehabilitated himself and is much more popular than when he was leader. He will be in the upper elechons of British politics for quite a while. He is a man of common sense, there ware few of them in this day and age.
As great Winston Churchill said: "The Labour moves Britain a bit toward socialism, then the Tories come and conserve her precisely there" Thatcher was right all along.
His interview would suggest otherwise. He was happy that maggie gave him direct advice. He still doesn't realise that the pre-1987 Thatcher would never have given strident advice like that. She was much more careful back then.
in my opinion, Hague blew it when he decided to create a NEW TORY 'younger' image, and act like a kid off the street, with that silly garb he wore , with baseball cap, jogging for the cameras. The shock of the new--it was too silly, and nobody was taking him seriously.
Not only that, but Tony Blair was fresh from his first Parliament as PM and many of the 1997 election pledges were met, also Tony Blair was considered to be at the peak of his prime. William Hague didn't have a chance. Mind you, I didn't think anyone who was leader of the Conservatives in the 1997-2001 Parliament would have stood a chance. Not even Michael Portillo would have done, and he was a much stronger character than William Hague.
What a shame that the Tories didn't vote in Ken Clark as leader. A decent man, not a headbanger, who did the good work as Chancellor that led to over a decade of economic growth (from which Labour got to profit before Gordon went on a spending binge and got the country into the financial shit, which will take years to remedy.) A missed opportunity.....
Remember these tory years in the wilderness came about because the country by and large thought the Conservative Party had treated Thatcher horrendously, the party were considered back stabbers, it still affects them today.
Yeah, right. I highly doubt anyone outside the bubble of the ultra-sectarian Thatcherite fanatics gave a tinkers' toss about that shit by 1997. Internal conflagrations over Europe spilling over into Cabinet rebellions over unrelated policy matters, thus conveying the impression of a hopelessly dysfunctional government, and scandals such as cash for questions were far more important in determining the outcome of the '97 GE.
not a fan of portillo, but he definitely knows where the tories went wrong and is more of a realist than most tories of the 1990s
He would have given Tony Blair a much tougher time.
I think Hague is the best PM that never was. His timing was awful and should have waited a few years before becoming leader of the Conservative Party. However hindsight is a wonderful thing!
There's a lot in that because his opposition leadership was Mission Impossible in 2001, but by 2005 or later was a lot more doable.
The two of them are needed. Both of them. They are superb debators.
interesting video. I like both of them - Portillo and Hague. Yes, William's timing was very unfortunate after New Labour surge and good PR management. But at least he has rehabilitated himself and is much more popular than when he was leader. He will be in the upper elechons of British politics for quite a while. He is a man of common sense, there ware few of them in this day and age.
As great Winston Churchill said: "The Labour moves Britain a bit toward socialism, then the Tories come and conserve her precisely there"
Thatcher was right all along.
cough thatcher was a bitch
These two could have been such a force
Yeah what show is this on, and where is the rest of it! Fascinating stuff.
His interview would suggest otherwise. He was happy that maggie gave him direct advice. He still doesn't realise that the pre-1987 Thatcher would never have given strident advice like that. She was much more careful back then.
What funding is needed to campaign within the party?
That is what is going to happen to Ed M.
I have to start laughing at 1.38
Portill isn't even an MP anymore though. Liam Fox is the Conservative shadow defence minister.
newcjon John Smith was actually the best Prime Minister we never had not Hague...
in my opinion, Hague blew it when he decided to create a NEW TORY 'younger' image, and act like a kid off the street, with that silly garb he wore , with baseball cap, jogging for the cameras. The shock of the new--it was too silly, and nobody was taking him seriously.
Not only that, but Tony Blair was fresh from his first Parliament as PM and many of the 1997 election pledges were met, also Tony Blair was considered to be at the peak of his prime. William Hague didn't have a chance. Mind you, I didn't think anyone who was leader of the Conservatives in the 1997-2001 Parliament would have stood a chance. Not even Michael Portillo would have done, and he was a much stronger character than William Hague.
Absolutely Philip, and there were no Conservative policies to speak of. The only thing he campaigned on in the 2001 election was to save the pound.
What a shame that the Tories didn't vote in Ken Clark as leader. A decent man, not a headbanger, who did the good work as Chancellor that led to over a decade of economic growth (from which Labour got to profit before Gordon went on a spending binge and got the country into the financial shit, which will take years to remedy.) A missed opportunity.....
It was an international crisis of capitalism that got the country into financial shit.
Remember these tory years in the wilderness came about because the country by and large thought the Conservative Party had treated Thatcher horrendously, the party were considered back stabbers, it still affects them today.
Yeah, right. I highly doubt anyone outside the bubble of the ultra-sectarian Thatcherite fanatics gave a tinkers' toss about that shit by 1997. Internal conflagrations over Europe spilling over into Cabinet rebellions over unrelated policy matters, thus conveying the impression of a hopelessly dysfunctional government, and scandals such as cash for questions were far more important in determining the outcome of the '97 GE.