We have just experienced one of the most politically turbulent years in our history – 2022 saw the passing of three Prime Ministers, four Chancellors and umpteen government ministers. Philip Bowen’s illustrated talk to Probus members, a challenging thesis, amply demonstrated political turbulence is not new! Since the days of Neville Chamberlain (1937-1940) we have had nineteen Prime Ministers and, apart from Harold Wilson, everyone was either forced to resign or was defeated.
Philip gave members a thought-provoking and entertaining account of the dramatic rise and fall of a selection of our more recent politicians, liberally illustrated with some of the best contemporary newspaper cartoons.
Theresa May, labelled by some “Submarine Theresa” was very private: “It is not my job to fill column inches with daily updates!” She had a vision for Brexit, and was the first to meet, somewhat uncomfortably, with President Trump. May lost her majority in the general election and was forced into doing a deal with the DUP. She ended her career politically friendless, and despite her clear sense of duty was even accused of being “guilty of treason’ by certain press members.
Tony Blair – one of the most forceful and controversial post war PMs was the youngest PM at 43 and the first to father a child while in office for 150 years. Reviled by some of his own party, Blair was labelled ‘Thatcher’s heir’. Famously, despite his innovative ideas for the reform of public services, Blair foundered on the Iraq war. When questioned as to how the slaughter of war sat with his Catholic faith he is reported as saying “I am ready to pay a blood price and meet my maker.”!
Gordon Brown met with Blair in a restaurant and agreed a ‘Granita Pact’ to divi up the party leadership. Eventually handed the Premiership, Brown was faced with a financial crisis. Uncomfortable in public, Brown suffered an excoriating confrontation with a member of the public, Gillian Duffy, who challenged him on migration; Brown retreated to his car and with his microphone still on referred to her as “a bigoted woman”. The feelings expressed by Duffy was to figure strongly in the Brexit vote to come, but was not picked up by the government at the time and Brown lost the election.
Two politicians who had a significant influence on subsequent political life but failed in their ultimate careers were Tony Benn and Enoch Powell. Benn was the main author of Labour’s 1983 manifesto, aptly described as “the longest suicide note in history”. Benn failed to gain leadership of his party but continued to influence Labour thinking in subsequent years.
As Minister of Health, Enoch Powell introduced prescription of the contraceptive pill by the NHS. He was anti Common Market, but it his ‘rivers of blood’ speech which whipped up serious anti-migrant feelings and remains a significant feature of present day politics.
Philip concluded with the observation that British Prime Ministers have enormous power but, “power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Perhaps the true skill is to know when to go gracefully. Margaret Thatcher is reputed to have said after retirement that she “never had a happy day after leaving Downing Street”. In the words of Shakespeare, “I do feel it gone, but know not how it went”. (Winter’s Tale)
Probus meets fortnightly at Shipston Sport’s and Social Club. Guests and new members are most welcome. Please contact Tony Joint on 01608 or email tonyjoint73@hotmail.com for further details.
Shipston-on-Stour Probus Club 