Idiotic Tory MPs lack intelligence, ideology and purpose | Simon Heffer interview

As opinion polls suggest the Conservatives face electoral oblivion, could we witness a repeat of a 1997 landslide, or even 1906? To discuss, The Telegraph’s Steven Edginton is joined by the historian Simon Heffer in the latest Off Script podcast. Watch the full interview above or listen on your podcast app by searching “Off Script”.
“David Cameron had this thing called the A-list, where he just put people on for tokenistic reasons; there weren't enough people of colour, there weren't enough women and obviously there weren't enough idiots, because he put quite a lot of those onto the candidates list as well. And he felt very good about that. It made him preen when he looked in the mirror, he thought he'd done something for equality and everything else. I'm a great believer in equality, but I'm also a great believer in merit. And, I really don't see that the Conservative Party has paid much attention to merit in the last 20 or so years. And if it is up to its neck in something pretty smelly and unpleasant at the moment, ignoring merit is probably one of the main reasons.”
Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now:
www.telegraph.co.uk/customer/...
Get the latest headlines: www.telegraph.co.uk/
Telegraph.co.uk and / telegraphtv are websites of The Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.

[@petermartin5030]

Problem is their fundamental values. Relying on greed and self interest to drive the economy is hopeless.

[@LondonSteveLee]

No the problem is none of the parties work for us any more. They are all orchestrated by the billionaire elite - ditto across the water. Which is why Trump and Truss were replaced by force - our unelected masters won't tolerate outbreaks of democracy.

[@Omanjack]

That's literally the basis of a capitalist democracy though. That is modern conservativism.

[@tdtm82]

@@OmanjackThere's a difference between social democratic capitalism and extreme capitalism which is what the Tories enjoy. Greed is Good is their mantra.

[@micksmithson6724]

The difference with Major and Sunak, is Major was elected and had a mandate, no one voted for Sunak and he has no mandate. He's weak, he doesn't seem to have a grip. What is better now than it was in 2010? National debt in 2010 was £800Bn its now £2,600Bn. NHS waiting lists are 8 million. Ring an ambulance and a pizza and the pizza will probably arrive first. Tax is far higher than its been since WW2 Crime is out of control, judges are being told not to jail people. Americans now think we aren't a top tier military power. The economy is in the doldrums. Nothing works in Broken Britain.

[@gunternetzer9621]

We don't elect Prime Ministers.

[@sparkyinsertnamehere6673]

I do not think Simon Heffer is remotely understanding the level of anger against the tories about mass immigration and the fact that the tories have quite clearly shown that they have no intention of stopping it other than idiotic fantasist nonsense about Rwanda. There is no way back for them.

[@martinslocombe2288]

There is no love for Labour I think the tory voters will opt for Reform or stay at home which will hand the election by default to the socialists

[@LondonSteveLee]

The Tories are long gone. They no longer exist. The current record replacement level of "legal" immigration is punishment for Brexit voters for daring to pull us out of the dry run for unelected globalist tyranny, the entire political establishment (a handful of (genuine) Tory rebels aside) tried their best to stop Brexit. So now they are simply watering down native British votes to the point where our views are irrelevant such they can have another referendum (which won't be in Labour's manifesto) and join up to the EU again but with total integration including the Euro and all the 2030 Lisbon stuff that hands over a country's natural resources to the unelected Eurocrats - this will be in the LibDem manifesto which no-one reads but will be used as justification under the forthcoming LibLab coalition. The speed they ousted Truss and installed a WEF puppet was staggering - she had the audacity to try and actually implement a popular centre-right (unlike the party) manifesto, the manifesto that got them elected in a landslide - that will never do! All of this is a matter of political will and replacing us IS their will - all of them, they being the captured globalist political class - LibLabCon.

[@rickadkinson6539]

it didnt start under the tories, bliar started this crap, free votes for the woakes

[@kamapublishing9949]

OK, but why default to the morally and economically bankrupt Labour Party, which started the problem in the first place, and will be just as bad?

[@fredjones234]

​@@kamapublishing9949vote reform

[@WilliamCoward-vo1xg]

He's wrong about King Charles, every time he opens his mouth he alienates me further.

[@jumblestiltskin1365]

Same, he is a vapid apologist and maniac.

[@margaretpitts5462]

We didn’t vote for Sunak and we don’t want him

[@jumblestiltskin1365]

I don't understand the man doing this job at all, or politics for that matter. He is one of the 0.001% who have fantastic wealth and access. I can only think there is more to his motivations than meets the eye.

[@miras2222]

shame for those who voted for Boris the Clown

[@brockit79]

@@jumblestiltskin1365 a trade deal with India is imminent I hear.

[@culaterw41pr]

Remember his current full job title is "The First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Union, and Minister for the Civil Service and the Unelected Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" Emphasis on the unelected...

[@simongleaden2864]

In the British parliamentary system the prime minister is never directly elected by the public. The voters elect a House of Commons. Usually, the leader of the largest part in the Commons becomes the PM: it is up to that party to choose its leader, not the general public. BTW, I don't want Mr Sunak to be PM and I'm keen to see him go.

[@kaneclements7761]

Lots of people are having a really hard time and the Conservative government are making no attempt to improve the lot of ordinary people. If Labour win the next election IMHO it will be a consequence of large numbers of people looking at the government and not liking the character of those in power. Party gate, PPE scandal and a raft of other acts of dishonesty, self serving behaviour, incompetence and excess deaths in the pandemic have changed the public mood.

[@maidsubrena]

i disagree, the most prominant election issue is mass immigration of Ismalmic followers

[@macflod]

It’s because Tories believe in trickle down. They think that tax chts to the rich will improve ordinary people’s lives - like they will get the crumbs from the table eventually

[@liborsionko]

What tosh regarding SNP voters. There is no more 'tribal' a vote than the Tory vote. And the notion that SNP voters 'particularly hate the English' is offensive, condescending and a convenient way to demean a legitimate alternative - more Tory traits.

[@enemywithin1295]

I think a lot of this stems from Austerity. We were told in 2010 that we all had to tighten our belts and put up with essential public services being cut, but assured that it would be temporary and we would be back stronger as a nation. This never happened. Every single facet of British life has gotten worse, and these crooks are to blame. They couldn't organise a bumming in a barracks.

[@chaosflower4892]

we barely make anything... we can't even build a tunnel or railway...

[@enemywithin1295]

@@chaosflower4892 Very true. Our infrastructure is atrocious. Obviously foreign investment is less likely to happen when the PM changes every couple years and there’s no cohesive strategy.

[@OnlineEnglish-wl5rp]

@@chaosflower4892 Because of Tory deindustrialisation and the spiv casino economy

[@OnlineEnglish-wl5rp]

Yep, the party of "personal responsibility" has spent 14 years getting their spiv mates in the City off the hook for a financial crash which cost this country £3 trillion in bailouts and lost growth. They tried to blame the doubling of the national debt on excessive spending by Labour but the truth was it was because we saved the bondholders who'd made bad bets And even now, when all their paper wealth is still propped up by our taxes, still the Tories refuse to do anything about the tax havens, the rent seeking parasites who are running our public services into the ground, the vast costs of structural unemployment / mass immigration It's almost as if they're organising some sort of collapse which is designed to leave only the super wealthy standing

[@acw7120]

Every country should "mind their own business". Wish they would then... Imagine.@@chaosflower4892

[@richardabbot8724]

All roads lead to 1997. There hasn’t been a Conservative party since then.

[@OnlineEnglish-wl5rp]

Why not? The Tories are the party of big money and the corporations have been rampant since before 1997. It was Major who signed GATT / Maastricht - Blair just happened to be assigned the role of implementing all the social liberalism that globalisation demanded

[@LondonSteveLee]

Correct. Or an independent civil service, police force and education system. It was a globalist cultural revolution that swept all - including the so called Tories with it.

[@gunternetzer9621]

It started in 1970 and that includes Margaret Thatcher.

[@MikeNewland]

I gave up when he said how capable Blair is! Capable of destruction of Britain?

[@jumblestiltskin1365]

I suppose capability doesn't pick sides,only results.

[@LondonSteveLee]

They're all Blairs now.

[@MikeNewland]

Not anything just careerists@@LondonSteveLee

[@LondonSteveLee]

@@MikeNewland They are all complicit in what's going on - there is little to no resistance amongst the political elite of any stripe.

[@LondonSteveLee]

@@MikeNewland Just following orders? Where have I heard that before?

[@sasserine]

Heffer spent decades, slamming Charles, as Prince. Now he's praising him, for decades of service, cool hand on the tiller, principled leadership... Someone's grovelling for a gong, I think.

[@philipbrooks402]

Good to see John Major being called out for the weakling and incompetent that he was.

[@derekrushton1705]

Not according to Edwina Currie 😮

[@KKTR3]

2016 and he popped back up and as not gone away again since

[@JupiterThunder]

John Major used to be a circus clown before going in to politics. He left school with no qualifications whatsoever, a complete failure.

[@bryangeake5826]

@@JupiterThunderYour comment is illogical, he left school and educated himself and got to the highest public office in the land, how was that failure, he didn’t come from a privileged background but was incompetent like Johnson!!

[@_Stroda]

@@JupiterThunder Left school with 'no qualifications whatsoever' (asides the three O-levels he gained) and went on to become a 'complete failure'... By ultimately becoming the Prime Minister.

[@trixiepickle8779]

'Sunak doesn't radiate incompetence'. Must be a different Sunak I've been watching!

[@miras2222]

Johnson and Truss do radiate incompetence for sure

[@sasserine]

He radiates corruption. Tax evading wife. India trade deal to sell out UK interests. All covid embezzlement went through him. He doesn't want it investigated, or pursued...wonder why?

[@simongleaden2864]

He radiates the effortless superiority one might expect from a former Head Boy of Winchester College.

[@markstanton63]

20:26 "There is no recession, there isn't going to be a recession, let's forget that" ....Really?

[@bbbf09]

Just about sums up the 'wisdom' of Heffer

[@JelMain]

The winner, this time, is going to be abstention, None of the Above.

[@lee11991964]

20:25 There is no recession, and there isn't going to be a recession...it was announced today the last quarter of 23 the economy shrunk by 0.3% putting us in a recession.

[@jameswarrington9402]

Mr Heffer says the electorate have very short memories. Well mine and many others memories keep getting jogged as I walk around my city and I see the results of thirteen years of Tory gov failure everywhere I look many of whom are dressed from head to toe in black shrouds following dark looking males with beards. If the Tories wish to live in Pakistan or Africa they should move there instead of moving it here.

[@user-wx1gd9fs1k]

Don't blame the immigrants, blame those dumbass politicians from both parties for years allowing unchecked immigration and did not develop our services and housing sectors.

[@gunternetzer9621]

It's terribly sad to see how delusional he has become in his support even now, for Sunak and the Conservatives.

[@rickadkinson6539]

It's been happening over many decades, NOT the last 13 years.

[@gunternetzer9621]

@@rickadkinson6539 Very true.

[@jameswarrington9402]

@@rickadkinson6539 we are all aware of that but the Tories were given an eighty seat majority on a slogan to get Brexit done and protect our borders. They did neither but on our borders they opened them wider than they have ever been in our history. I am told during the last thirteen years they have imported six million immigrants. They have excelled themselves and done more damage to our country and culture than the appalling Blair ever dreamed of. Their Rwanda nonsense is just a smokescreen a lie. Eighty seat majority gave them carte blanch to change laws close our borders and quit the ECJ.

[@LordOfLight]

This guy doesn't live in the real world. Does he really imagine that Tory promises would make a difference at this stage? The electorate have a short memory, as he says, but it's not THAT short. They'll remember Johnson's lies and Truss' ineptitude and vapidity for a long time. There's been a fundamental change in the British voter's perception of the Tory party imho.

[@jm9673]

An interesting and insightful interview. Simon Heffer brings his historian’s trained mind to bear on the current political mess in Westminster. Very enjoyable.

[@jonathanbrewer7072]

Love to hear Simon. Refreshingly honest and blunt.

[@danielearley5062]

What an excellent video, I am going to have to pay more attention to Simon Heffer. He had some great lines there too, one in particular sticks with me, 'Whatever is good for the country should be possible'. It's interesting to hear his views on some of our current crop, especially when compared to greats such as Enoch Powell and Thatcher. Either would wipe the floor with almost anyone in the HoC today.

[@billyb6043]

Enoch Powell and Thatcher great? Jesus wept.....

[@LondonSteveLee]

Heffer is an idiot - he thinks the Tory party still exists. We have three globalist Social Democrat parties who work for the WEF. The last 13 years had proven that manifestos are empty words to fool people - we had a government elected by a landslide on the back of a centre-right manifesto, a government who once in power carried on being New Labour. They ramped already eye-watering immigration levels to a staggering 1%+ PA population displacement level - a deliberate policy/punishment to wipe out the power of the native Brit vote ensuring the next EU referendum (oh it's coming) goes the other way. The entire political class is captured - voting is pointless.

[@tombristowe846]

@@billyb6043 The definition of great is not "someone I agree with or whose politics I like".

[@gtaylor178]

Austria is about to have 48% less electricity costs than Britain. If Mr Sunak sorted the greedy opportunists in the electricity market he may just win the election if Britain's electricity prices were returned to 2020 prices instead of in the pockets of the French Insurance markets who own it.

[@adamshatwell]

But his & other MP's shares would go down

[@danielearley5062]

If he had allowed fracking when he said he would, it could have come online months ago and we not not have to import natural gas, we could export it. If we did not have destructive taxes on energy production or industry, through the Climate Change Act, the cost of living would be much lower. If we did not subsidise wind and solar then our energy bills would be lower as well.

[@LondonSteveLee]

It doesn't matter what his policies are - NOBODY is going to vote for Sunak - we all know he was a plant as part of a WEF coup against Truss who was actually trying to implement a landslide-winning centre-right (unlike her party) manifesto. But then nobody is going to vote for Starmer either - however this will work against us because the LimpDumb's manifesto will no doubt call for a second EU referendum (which Labour wouldn't dare put in theirs) and the LibDems will get that as part of the deal to form the forthcoming coalition required for a majority government - and as we have been displaced by mass-immigration at a staggering rate of over 1% PA since the last referendum (intentionally to water down the native vote) it will go the other way next time - only once they've had the "right" answer it will be the last say on the matter - and of course we will join as full members - Euro and all - including the 2nd stage 2030 Lisbon stuff that hands over all member state natural resources to Brussels.

[@rjy8960]

@@danielearley5062 Petrochem companies are not charities - they sell to the highest bidder. North Sea, fracking etc. will only serve a global market and not be kindly donated at cut-down costs to the local market. Shareholders for a start would not allow it.

[@danielearley5062]

@@rjy8960 There are four main international markets for gas, European, North American, and Central and South American. Just because there isn't an internal market for gas in the UK right now, does not mean there cannot be one. Additionally, the laws of supply and demand mean that increasing supply of a product means that the price will drop. That would be a condition for allowing fracking. That's not to mention the additional business, which shareholders will like, the jobs, which the local area will like, and additional taxes, which HMRC will like.

[@fen0000]

They should have learned. But they serve a different authority to the people of our nation. If they wait until November, many won't go out to vote if the weather's bad.

[@TheMatthooks]

That's what they hope for. Because the Tories benefit from a low turnout.

[@tonymaries1652]

Interesting listening and it is a long time since I heard a Tory talking any sense about Scotland. I visit Scotland regularly and Labour as a political force in Scotland is dead and buried. Politics in all UK is still relatively tribal and the sight of Labour in coalition with Tories to run councils in Stirling and Edinburgh sticks in my craw and anyone else I have spoken to in Scotland. Labour will not be winning the seats it needs in Scotland to get a landslide majority at Westminster, and while they might win more than the one seat they currently hold I would be astonished if they win more than a handful. Intelligence, ideology and purpose is also a good title to introduce the problem with the political class. University followed by working as a political assistant for an MP before becoming an MP is no substitute for having a proper job before entering politics. My local MP is a Tory who was an army officer before entering politics and he has shown undoubted expertise as a junior Defence Minister, even if I disagree with him on almost everything else.

[@sasserine]

I think Callaghan was the last PM to see active service. Other jobs are also valuable experience. I agree on the need for MPs to have proper jobs, a PPE degree doesn't cut it, on its own.

[@dovesk1]

What a shame, as a vote for the SNP, is a vote for the Tory party in a two party system and has basically split the left vote in the UK, allowing the Tories to devastate the countries of the Union for the last 14 years.

[@tonymaries1652]

@@dovesk1 The Labour Party is basically dead in Scotland and has been for many years, even before the Tories returned to power in 2010. Look at politicians like Mhairi Black and Stephen Flynn, they are basically the people who would have joined the Labour party in a previous generation. Present day Labour has even joined in coalition with the Tories on Stirling and Edinburgh councils. No chance that anyone in Scotland still regards Labour as a left-leaning party.

[@Paulkazey1]

Labour in 1997 opened the floodgates of migration and they've never been closed.

[@joemulhall5202]

?

[@Paulkazey1]

@@joemulhall5202 ?

[@russellnixon9981]

Enjoyed this frank conversation of some of the failings of our politicians and how unfit they are to hold office. Excellent interview..

[@JerzyFeliksKlein]

Always fun to hear some Telegraph delusions

[@Atamanxxxvii]

What are the delusions?

[@tjd18]

I like the fact that he says there isn’t going to be a recession on Thursday. The United Kingdom entered the technical recession meaning there has been a recession.

[@Abidification]

The journalist is very well spoken and extremely knowledgeable in history and politics. A very highly educated and well read man.

[@hittitecharioteer]

Steven Edgington is excellent.

[@agtom1329]

These are right wing hacks who are out of touch with the UK public.

[@masoodahmed2041]

I agree Heffer is an incredible journalist a political heavyweight which very few people realise, another one is Peter Osborne.

[@gunternetzer9621]

@@masoodahmed2041 I used to like him and although he speaks a lot of sense he's not what I thought he was. Nowhere near as good as Peter Hitchens. He doesn't understand how radical Blair was and Starmer would be, and he never said anything against the lockdowns at the time. He also doesn't realise that Cameron was one of the reasons why the Conservative Party has become so liberal.

[@drc4563]

He is so good! Very clear and so true. On the quality of our recent PMs and MPs…This is excellent!

[@jonathanwheeler194]

Steven clearly enjoyed that interview. It was a pleasure to watch, as well.

[@clivefrear1784]

It’s difficult to think why anyone would vote Tory or Labour. But it’s up to other parties to state their claim if the much needed change is to come. As it is, most folks will probably stay home or vote for either of the aforementioned to try and stop its main opponent winning… carpe diem!

[@andym.6141]

37:00 >> I’m often incredulous about how little some of today’s politicians seem understand about delivering something in the real world. The idea of UKCA being a case in point.

[@rjy8960]

Complete stupidity. How long would it take to craft a completely new set of all -encompassing standards to cover all of the exiting EU (a lot transposed from UK legislation) essential requirements and standards only to act as a further barrier to trade with the UK? The only reasoning for it as I see it was to allow us to lower our standards and allow products that do not conform with current EU standards into the UK market. That would go down from a consumer and trade position to the EU like a lead balloon.

[@sasserine]

​@@rjy8960 Exactly. All the EU standards are *minimum* standards, that any member has always been free to exceed. The only reason Tories would ever want to change them, is to reduce standards.

[@markfarnon6742]

Love listening to Simon Heffer - almost like having a mini history lesson!

[@JamesStrock]

Excellent interview. Simon Heffer's historical insights are fascinating and thought provoking.

[@ronanmcw]

This guys a fool if he thinks Sunak isn't dishonest. The guys a career liar.

[@tonysadler5290]

Heffer is talking crap. I live in South Wales. I was diagnosed with a complex hernia in November '22 saw a consultant within two weeks, underwent open abdominal surgery in August'23. I can generally get a GP appointment within a day (on the day if I call early enough). Yes some surgery will take longer depending on the type, but most straight forward operations are quicker than England.

[@just_another32]

nice long interview! thanks

[@simongleaden2864]

A very good interview with a very sound Conservative. The only thing Simon Heffer said that I really disagreed with was that the year of the last general election was "Two Thousand and Nineteen": it was "Twenty Nineteen".

[@sallycushing9138]

Tony Blair should be locked up for the rest of his life after the harm he has done the British Isles

[@user-bi7sy9mi2b]

It's a very conceited middle class London view that the SNP core vote is based on simple hatred of the English. Do the English hate European Union countries and was it that made Brexit possible? It's more about wanting to control your own economy, countries / regions / communities rarely benefit from giving up political control to a disconnected third party .

[@gunternetzer9621]

It's true. Half my family come from there.

[@robertclive491]

We've heard what SNP supporters say about the English, and we've heard what Brexiteers said about Poles and Romanians.

[@ordesolomons9545]

I'm so glad he didn't think Stalin and Mau weren't genocidal maniacs.

[@larrye3602]

I agree that the Tories are thick. Sadly, the only thing that will change with Labour is that the average IQ will drop 20 points.

[@MikeNewland]

Must be the fight against elitism.

[@jumblestiltskin1365]

Agreed, whatever Heffer thinks about the Tory deficiencies, the Labour party cabinet incoming is going to make it look intellectually stellar.

[@sasserine]

​@@jumblestiltskin1365 They won't have such intellectual powerhouses as Nadine Dorries or James Cleverly, that's for sure.

[@kamapublishing9949]

His thoughts on Fishi Sunak don't chime with the consensus...

[@just_another32]

a handful of extremists? try visiting a university ... and I dont mean the students!

[@MarkJVSomers]

What nonsense. Just a random remark.

[@Atamanxxxvii]

Yes, it's shocking just how chock-full of radicals unis are now. All with joke PhDs, spouting nonsense views that would make a flat earther blush.

[@ianmansbridge3646]

As Simon Heffer sais, the conservatives do not have any ideology, well what is left in the way of rational for this flacid thinking? The economics I was so blithely taught in the 1980s which fed conservative thinking is largely debased now. I feel events have left conservative historians behind, the next election is going to be Tories vs everyone else who cares what sort of Britain we live in. I used to admire Mr Heffer, perhaps I still like his mild manner. Feel sorry for what has been lost in the party because of populism.

[@MrBigSeanno]

Painful listen this, the telegraph are worse than the express nowadays, genuine extremists.

[@nerd26373]

We will always support this channel. They're always one of the best.

[@BOBBOBBOBBOBBOBBOB69]

Sunak doesn't have vision because he doesn't understand England.

[@macflod]

I don’t get why Fox hunting is a left right thing. I don’t see how thats a bone to the left.

[@russellwhite1581]

Many rightish people opposed fox hunting.

[@johnke7]

Nearly 23 minutes in before a mention of the pandemic. Will he mention the 70 000 excess deaths in 2023?

[@valthirteen]

Great interview Stephen, with a sagacious commentator.

[@sniwashitu]

This guy does great interviews....deserves the best jobs

[@jumblestiltskin1365]

Much i disagreed with here, much i agreed with. An interesting conversation. Cheers for doing it.

[@carltonbrand4313]

Superb analysis.

[@ThomasBoyd-yf5wm]

Awesome.

[@richarddelanet]

Wonder if Mr Heffer might ever consider giving a tour of his book shelves. That would be some #booktube video(s), and a (proverbial) half, hey?!!

[@philipbrooks402]

Seconded.

[@richarddelanet]

@@philipbrooks402 Don't know if that is the sort of thing famous people do? Natural change however.

[@danielearley5062]

It's a library, not his private collection I'm afraid.

[@heycidskyja4668]

@@danielearley5062 It's obviously his private collection.

[@PhilBaird1]

Yes. Looking at some of those book spines, that's definitely Simon's collection. @@heycidskyja4668

[@jeffswingdancer8302]

In a democracy the people get the government they deserve, as they voted in the representatives. The citizens of the UK must stand before a mirror and state: "we have met the enemy, and it is us."

[@marymochrie3471]

I agree with placing VAT on school fees. A first step to abolishing private schools which give unfair advantage and cause society division. Same with private medicine.Yes it is very much a class war and time to shift the balance in favour of average working and lower middle class people. Kemi Badenoch would be a disaster. She is extreme right wing. And The Monarchy is a throwback to a feudal age of unfair priviledge and wealth which has no place in our modern world.

[@sasserine]

The problem with Badenoch isn't (just) her politics, which would probably morph into whatever she thought expedient on the day, but the fact she's thick as mince, lazy as a slug, doesn't read her briefs, yet has the absolute arrogance that she's the most intelligent and experienced person in the room. A walking example of the Dunning-Krueger Effect.

[@jonathanbrewer7072]

Super interview. Very impressed with Stuart.

[@nicholassimpson518]

YEAH. I THINK I'LL GO AND READ SIMON HEFFER... ON THE VERANDAH.

[@crzxr]

Simon Heffer is clearly suffering from Turning-into-Edward-Heath Syndrome. Yes.

[@richardwalker4966]

Interesting talk

[@garymitchell5899]

I guess it's possible we could build a million houses by November

[@nickdoughty518]

Very interesting interview. History, assuming it is objective, does matter. I agree that the Tories have been hopeless, but equally, I don't see how Labour can get us out of this level of debt and stagnation.

[@tolhumexy6706]

Impossible for Labour because so much damage has been done.

[@sasserine]

Halting the daily embezzlement of public funds, and jailing the perpetrators, and seizing their assets, under the Proceeds Of Crime Act would make a start. Anyone know of an experienced prosecuting lawyer, who heads a political party, by any chance?

[@ianmansbridge3646]

Investment buddy, something this current generation of Conservatives doesn't understand. That's where their shortcomings lay.

[@kevinloughrey5135]

The tragedy is that the alternative is even worse than those deposed. Britain is lost unless they elect candidates from something like the Reclaim Party.

[@bewilderedbrit8928]

And even then, Reclaim is controlled opposition. Voting is IRRELEVANT.

[@russellwhite1581]

@@bewilderedbrit8928 Is that why Andrew Bridgen didn't stick with them?

[@petergardner760]

Simon Heffer is indeed very fortunate to have Kemi Badenoch as his MP. I have Hunt.

[@yalmahond2813]

Many of Simon's critiques seem very out-of-date.

[@dariusdoodoo]

“Not enough idiots”, he got that right.

[@jonh7054]

It seems to me there is little difference between any of the parties (Lib, Lab, Con) who are more interested in sucking up to those in the World Economic Forum, WEF and intoducing laws to satisfy the WEF rather than protecting the citizens of this country.

[@tillthewheels]

The idea that the hospitals in Wales, tfl, and knife crime in London aren't the effects of Tory austerity is bizarre double think. The Tories weaponise budgets against anyone that wants a better country.

[@brockett]

Voting for Starmer is a vote for no change. He's just a Tory in a pale Labour suit. Wealth is created by manufacturing and trading. Having left the EU we have no one to trade with and having given up manufacturing in the UK in favour of importing from China we have no way of creating wealth. Public services must be cut to balance the income from taxation and taxation must increase to provide funding for essential public services. There is no way this economic decline, that began in the 1980s, can be turned around in four years or maybe forty years. A Starmer goverment will lead to a disappointing four years followed by another 20 years of Tory incompetence.

[@stephenraw8772]

Simon Heffer is part of the problem he is so remote from what the country is thinking he’s option is irreverent ……. He sings to his masters

[@DavidJones-mo9sj]

I'm not a Telegraph reader or Tory supporter so it would be churlish to pick at Simon Heffer's view except he is wrong on the economic outlook. Recession is here and UK business conditions will become harsher as 2024 goes on.

[@OnlineEnglish-wl5rp]

He's a Thatcherite... they just can't accept that its neoliberalism which has brought us to this point. Right wing Tories can moan all they want about Blairism - they were the ones who signed GATT, Maastricht etc. They've always imported more immigrants than Labour (look at the 1950s), their friends in the investment banks were always behind the equalities agenda, women in the work place etc.

[@agtom1329]

I'm not a Telegraph reader and I know why now.

[@tjd18]

After watching this interview, I have a feeling that the times wish that they never put this person on

[@bewilderedbrit8928]

Only clowns participate in the red/blue team pantomime.

[@commandingjudgedredd1841]

Cons, Labour. No difference between the pair of them anymore. It's vote for a further kicking or vote for a right good drubbing.

[@davy_K]

Like all good interviews , I now have a couple of books to read.

[@peterbettell1361]

Great interview

[@geoffreynhill2833]

Make the Tory Party history ! 👺

[@stevenpeaketrainsandstuff3682]

Did they discuss Brexit?

[@bbbf09]

22:17 - he still 'passionately' believes in his little pet project - despite the evidence

[@stevenpeaketrainsandstuff3682]

@@bbbf09 I must have switched off by then. i was amazed how they were already blaming the Labour Party for perceived future failures in government.

[@dadananda]

In 1917 the UK's defense budget was 50% of GDP. Does Simon Heffer propose that Churchill should have kept it there instead of tapering off to 2% by 1930?

[@KKTR3]

Where is that information from

[@sasserine]

It's always the ones who look like they were picked last during PE class, who want conscription, national service, and endless war preparations. For other people, of course. Him and Mark Francois could make a side hustle, cosplaying live action versions of Penfold from Dangermouse.

[@jumblestiltskin1365]

Found the section about chamberlain enlightening, I'd not considered the point of view before that Heffer makes on the 1938 decisions.

[@Gorboduc]

Apparently during what Mel Brooks would call "the bunker scene", a certain German chancellor could be overheard ranting that Neville Chamberlain's concessions at Munich were all a plot, a case of Perfidious Albion delaying the war so they could build up the RAF in order to win it when the time came. So according to him, Chamberlain was the guy won the war! (Then this same commentator poisoned his dog and shot himself.)

[@KimSE4]

I'm afraid I don't buy the criticism of Labour in Wales - the country has seen a massive ingress of older English people who retire there and a flight of younger people. Schools are closing, and there are whole communities that have never recovered from the closure of the coal mines - no industry replaced them. Wales has crippling health and care costs and not enough taxpayers to cover the expenditure. The only way to resolve this is to stop paying for the care of old people - would a Tory government do that?

[@amazinghangover4233]

Yes- Yes they would!

[@gunternetzer9621]

Voting for Kemi Badenoch is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

[@sasserine]

Like slamming your testicles in the deckchairs on the Titanic.

[@user-et4hp9sw3n]

Karma for the Tories

[@SteveeeeeeeeeeeeeFB]

I doubt austerity impacted Simon Heffer the same way it impacted my community.

[@petergardner760]

"There weren't enough idiots so he [Cameron] put some of those on his A-list as well." Classic Heffer and dead right.

[@user-pj7bs5qs7k]

'Most men'..... Don't menstruate?!?!?? None do

[@philstabler6650]

Tory paper, talking fresh air.

[@timg5tm941]

Kemi is first rate 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@sasserine]

A first rate example of the Dunning Krueger Effect.

[@chrisdickens4268]

"we've had a labour government for the past 14 years, guffaw guffaw" very funny but look at the inequality indexes, this lot are beyond looking back at the last 100 years... Theses toffs paid to regurgitate lines to ask that lead the audience rather than actually cobsider the implications or what the useful measures are almost makes me think the telegraph has an agenda other that merely informing people ..

[@jonb5493]

"They won't vote for us loonies coz we're not loony enuf" .. as all these Torygraffers refrain .. oh and their pal Jezz Steptoe.

[@laurenceskinnerton73]

Simon could be right.

[@neilmccaughan5149]

Terrible sound. Simon Heffer practically inaudible. A real shame as this is a valuable discussion.

[@blueshoesrcool]

It's because of his weight, he runs out of breath a lot. I noticed also.

[@philippajoy4300]

Interesting on publc service and calibre of politicians. Chemie, however, is merely competent by comparison with past figures. It will be interesting to see if his predictions about Starmer come about.

[@davidevans5955]

Liz truss would not of got my vote but she didn't even get a chance

[@elvishprincess321]

Her ideas were correct she just didn't have the ability to pull them off competently.

[@osric1730]

​@@elvishprincess321 Loading up offshore bank accounts with money looted from the public purse in unfunded tax giveaways whilst public finances are in freefall is just plain stupid. Not even the markets, never ones to look a gift-horse from their pals in government in the mouth, recoiled in horror. Its was a moronic policy implemented by a moron.

[@31Blaize]

She had her chance. She wiped £30 billion off the economy in one day.

[@rafchurchlawford4469]

"not of got" 🤔

[@historyismetal2187]

Yo Bill Gates is huge!

[@sgordon8123]

Some people do very well at school and university, at least these days, simply by having great memories. They can't think for themselves. The recent inflation problems were not caused by the common causes but rather the exceptional situation of a choked supply chain in the pandemic. Hence a chancellor who appeared clever tried the wrong cure.

[@tomburroughes9834]

I have Heffer's book on history, such as Victorian Britain. Well good writer. He sussed that Boris J. wasn't up to the job a while ago.