Kenneth Clarke is one of the great survivors of modern politics. He has filled a fistful of the great offices of state including Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lord Chancellor. He was first elected to Parliament in 1970. The phrase “downy old bird” could have been coined for him and he has a wide appeal across the parties.Recently, after recording a BBC Radio 4 interview, he said to me: “The two parties are competing to get their vote down. Their style of campaigning is out of kilter with public taste.”It is certainly true that, so far, the general election has failed to catch fire – no comet trails of original thinking, no dazzling political language or arresting analysis to light fires in the electorate’s imagination. One factor, however, has quicken
19 March 2015, The Tablet
There is endless speculation about who might cut a deal with whom
Get Instant Access
Continue Reading
Register for free to read this article in full
Subscribe for unlimited access
From just £30 quarterly
Complete access to all Tablet website content including all premium content.
The full weekly edition in print and digital including our 179 years archive.
PDF version to view on iPad, iPhone or computer.
Already a subscriber? Login