Monthly Archives: March 2019
Conservative leaders and Europe
I have seen various report claiming that the issue of European integration has been responsible for bringing down Conservative Prime Ministers from Edward Heath onwards – and at least one also suggesting it brought down Harold Macmillan. European integration has … Continue reading
Speaker’s Lecture on Willie Whitelaw
My Speaker’s Lecture, on ‘What if Edward Heath had resigned in October 1974 and Willie Whitelaw had become Tory leader?’, delivered in Speaker’s House on 18 March, was broadcast on BBC Parliament last night (30 March). If anyone who did … Continue reading
A temporary Prime Minister?
The media have been awash with stories of attempts to oust the Prime Minister and replace her with an interim Prime Minister. There has been little comment on the constitutional propriety of such a move. Little literature exists on the … Continue reading
What if?
The current series of Speaker’s Lectures is on ‘What if?’, inviting speakers to address counter-factuals. The first was given by Lord Adonis on ‘What if Roy Jenkins had become Prime Minister in 1968’? On Monday evening, I gave the lecture … Continue reading
Great orators
If we look at history, we can identify politicians who were renowned for their capacity for all three types of oratory – ceremonial, forensic and deliberative – listed in my previous post. In the United States, a good example at … Continue reading
The Norton View 