Ken Clarke: The Big Beast of British Politics

After 49 years as a Conservative MP, Ken Clarke will be stepping down at the general election on December 12. But despite being the Father of the House - Westminster’s longest-serving male MP - Clarke has no party. He was expelled from the Conservative party in September for refusing to back a no-deal Brexit, and unlike some of the other rebel Tories who have had the whip restored, he will end his illustrious career politically homeless.
On December 2 - just ten days before the election - Clarke came to the Intelligence Squared stage where, in conversation with John Humphrys, who recently stepped down as presenter of Radio 4’s Today programme, he reflected on his many years in politics and the twists and turns of the Brexit saga that have brought him to the curious position he is in today.
Despite being home secretary and chancellor of the exchequer, Clarke never succeeded in his three attempts to win the ultimate goal of the Tory leadership. But he is one of the great characters of British politics, known for his love of jazz and his trademark brown suede Hush Puppies (which are in fact handmade brogues from Crockett and Jones). He became health secretary despite his fondness for beer and cigars, and was the last chancellor to take advantage of the convention of sipping whisky at the despatch box during his budget statements to the Commons.
Throughout his Commons career, Clarke was always an ardent Europhile, unwavering in his support for strengthening the UK’s ties with the European Union. And yet Clarke has always been at heart a pragmatist. Although he called Theresa May ‘a bloody difficult woman’, he backed her deal three times, preferring a soft Brexit to a second referendum which might allow for Britain to remain in the EU.

[@marklindsay1581]

This guy was okay and should have been a prime ministee

[@syedadeelhussain2691]

Brilliant man! I respect Ken so much. True genius.

[@syedadeelhussain2691]

@John Balladear I admire his knowledge

[@kimlog7476]

When the Tories were sensible.

[@ianyboo]

Wow Jeremy Clarkson has really let himself go.

[@plumduff3303]

Humphreys is right up his own pipe

[@Carl-im9gh]

So are you and Ken Clarke!

[@plumduff3303]

@@Carl-im9gh Carl you are awful but I like u

[@Carl-im9gh]

@@plumduff3303 I like me too.

[@cahillgreg]

​@@Carl-im9ghActually, you don't

[@digitalboxjellychironex3605]

An independent mind, authentic, Deserves recognition for his public service... and I’m not a Conservative voter

[@KimPhilby203]

What do u want a medal? Clarke is not a Conservative .. HE'D be right at home in Lib Dems..

[@marklindsay1581]

Johnson not in the same league as Kenneth Clarke we need his sort now and by the way l am not a tory. Ken Clarke also excellent public servant well done sir

[@robertholland8283]

Good conversation.

[@dianamincher6479]

Pity he couldn't figure out Factor 8 and its ramifications early on?

[@fatesagentandtheorderoflia3513]

we are currently lacking statespeople amongst our politicians

[@Sheehan1]

God, Humphrys is such a tedious bore

[@Carl-im9gh]

So is Clarke.

[@philo8040]

##that audience vote on the BBC was nonsense[23min]## - Both presenter and interviewed first said that people who think the BBC are biased basically only like to agree with people who have the same opinion as them - then you asked the audience - so naturally, anyone who raised their hand saying it was biased was in error! - that's messed-up and pretty typical - ...

[@johnsmith1474]

From what I watched of Parliament, he was the voice of reason. He told Boris, "We aren't wearing blindfolds, we see we are walking off a cliff, how about you stop trying to distract with noise and explain how this is supposed to work?"

[@theodorestinson50]

TLDR: lifelong politician upset about actually having to listen to the public

[@nifralo2752]

Agreed this is what happens to safe seat MPs they take it for granted

[@propjoe1060]

Ken Clarke voted for Brexit a lot more times than Boris did in the previous parliament.

[@alphabetaxenonzzzcat]

Good old Ken Clarke. He is a “sensible Tory” - you know, like supporting the ERM and having Black Wednesday, then there’s his clashes with teachers as education secretary and also his time as health secretary with the ambulance drivers. 😉

[@jonathandnicholson]

Clarke replaced Norman Lamont after Black Wednesday. Like you I am a bit fed up with the idea St Ken Clarke given he sold cigarettes to children in Vietnam.

[@lesliedellow1533]

Well, he got his majority, and if there is one thing we know for certain now, it is that Johnson is incapable of thinking more than ten seconds ahead.

[@frasersutherland1834]

Complacent as ever

[@geezalee1677]

Ken would have been prime minister decades ago, his persistence pro EU stance costed him

[@Carl-im9gh]

Thank Euro sceptics that this man was never our PM.

[@firewizzard86]

That and touching up little boys

[@danielwebb8402]

Surely "we subsidise Croatia" is an argument to leave? If our net contribution reduced to just the admin running costs of a billion or so remain would get 60%.

[@Carl-im9gh]

No such thing as remain. We voted to leave.

[@VeeSeven700]

It depends how much you know about politics. Why do you think poorer countries are subsidised globally? Not just the EU but aid to Africa etc. Do you think wealthy countries pump money in out of the goodness of their hearts? Lol. They do it because it's long been realised that if you help others grow it benefits your economy massively more than the aid you gave in the first place. If it didn't the poor countries would be left to rot by the rich nations.

[@neworleans75]

London subsidises most of England. Funding was given by the EU to poor parts of Cornwall.

[@danielwebb8402]

@neworleans75 Not "funding was given by the EU". "UK taxpayer funding was given to Cornwall. Just EU decided where." Was not EU money. Yes. Cross subsidy within countries is normal. Not within trade blocks. The later should be correctly called charity. As my original comment says, the UK public didn't agree the point of a trade block should be to subsidise foreign countries.

[@neworleans75]

@@danielwebb8402 it wasn't a subsidy. It was in our interest to raise EU members up to our level so they would buy our stuff

[@Jamie_Johnson]

Doom and Gloom bla bla bla. Cheer up Ken!

[@john-bo9ve]

very very decent man is ken.

[@johnsmith1474]

This gentleman is brilliant, and has endless experience. You don't have to like his side to appreciate his value.

[@jasonkingshott2971]

What did he do for the UK public?

[@colinharbinson8284]

The man who called the referendum result 'a little opinion poll.'

[@VeeSeven700]

The referendum was, legally speaking, merely an advisory poll. Facts shouldn't hurt anyone's feelings.

[@Carl-im9gh]

There are rules! Who makes the rules Ken? We don't need to abide by them and in your case vote for them. We can do whatever we want. Its a free world Ken. He's right about Corbyn though.

[@bebbebbebable]

Love this guy one of few politicians that I respect🇬🇧

[@ianbetts4435]

He is a good bloke but his politics are shite and likes to surrender to the enemy like the EU . Wet Wet Wet...

[@shuddupeyaface]

Lord protect his prostate. Then again, please don't bother. Smugness has a face after all. Oh how the other half live. They'll wake up when it's them getting kicked in the bollocks.

[@terrykemp8131]

He didn't ask about Ken' s sexual assault allegations in 1994, whilst filming of the Cook report. There was allegedly video evidence. The video was given to David Camaron who was working for Carlton TV, at the time and mysteriously disappeared. Ken also gave the keys to Jimmy Saville of a children's secure unit How people have short memories.

[@flinx]

I don't live in the UK. What does his personal conduct or crimes have to do with the present state of British politics?

[@gda295]

staunch defender of thatcherite economics and thatcher but a decent justice minister unlike grayling

[@danielwebb8402]

That is because those economics are correct / proven fact, and she was brilliant. As shown in last week's election, the economic anti-Thatcher argument was finished in this country in 79 and the world in 89.

[@desydukuk291]

Biggest gaff of this so called big beast: "road humps", that's all he should be remembered for.

[@davi22034]

Very missed :)

[@calengr1]

8:44 Suez crisis

[@KuwaharaBMXRider]

Big beast? He was one of the “wets” wasn’t he?

[@user-pt1ow8hx5l]

Indeed. By temperament too,........ The last of the breed. apparantly,........

[@stevenangus4251]

I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT TO RESPECT OLD PEOPLE AND I BELIEVED IT FOR MANY YEARS , BUT AS AN ADULT I BEGiN TO THINK , WHAT IF THAT PERSON HAS BEEN A WANKER ALL HIS LIFE , SHOULD I RESPECT AN OLD WANKER ... THEN I THOUGHT OF KEN CLARKE

[@ianbailey459]

A really interesting interview. Like many, I don’t agree with all he says (I don’t think he’d expect or even want that) but so refreshing to hear such an experienced politician speaking so openly and thoughtfully.

[@frogstamper]

One of the last sane center/right tories who didn't view the EU as the enemy over the channel, sadly we're now being led by an opportunist who co-opted Brexit and used it as a vehicle to accelerate his leadership ambitions. No deal will become a reality with this current bunch, not through necessity but ideology.

[@the_9ent]

Is Humphries still considered a journalist? 🤔

[@Carl-im9gh]

Yes he is actually.

[@Carl-im9gh]

@David Cat You do one. Big blabbing baby.

[@Carl-im9gh]

@David Cat Muppet

[@wbafc1231]

Don't forget to ask him how much money he earned shilling for big tabacco. Just another politican milking the system and the public purse for their own benefit.

[@themrmarshallmathers]

Their factory paid very good wages for the people of Nottingham

[@gabbegubbe8556]

can you name a country where Communism is or has been a success ??? hint (Venezuela..URSS...NKorea..Eastern Europe like Bulgaria Romania Hungary Poland...) 😅

[@lawrencebrown3677]

They all have capitalist economies. Your problem is an intelligence one- you do not have enough of it . You have no idea what capitalism is ,which makes any comment from you worthless dross.

[@dougstevens1877]

@@lawrencebrown3677 Free market systems do have fundamental issues in the unfettered, monopolistic, usurious capatilist model but only the mindless who hope to get stuff for free or those who aim to be part of the untouchable politbureau would not run away in terror from those extolling communism.

[@polaris7122]

@@lawrencebrown3677 What planet are you on?

[@Mr_Lo_]

The fact that he finds a "World based international order" exciting, is exactly why I don't like him. He's an autocrat.

[@Mr_Lo_]

What is it the elite see in Kenneth Clarke that make him the most honourable politician in parliament? all i see is an authoritarian type who betrayed the public. Perhaps it's his attitude towards culture and civilisation, in that he takes one over the other. "Culture be damned, progress is all that matters". Both are important. I reckon the Ken Clarkes and Tony Blairs of the world have been winning out in politics for decades, but we're having a reaction to that now, Boris and Farage have upset the monopoly, and his lot are on the way out.

[@beammeup8458]

What a nauseous introduction by Humphreys ...... I stopped listening to puke ... Even Clarke looks horrified ..... Uncomfortable with a brown-nosed job ??

[@gabbegubbe8556]

Far Left # communism 😉

[@heliotropezzz333]

You're surely not referring to Ken Clark? He's a Tory. He doesn't even like trade unions. Your political compass is askew.

[@martinobrien7110]

ONE NATION TORIES ? ARE THERE ANY LEFT ? NOT JOHNSON .

[@johnpoulsen7582]

Too bad the host is so poor.

[@ElGancha]

you don't want brexit? good riddance

[@aquilatempestate9527]

Traitor.

[@propjoe1060]

Care to explain this comment?

[@propjoe1060]

@@blackphilip8936 yes, I am smart. I'd say Aquila Tempestate is probably not, though.

[@ianbetts4435]

Coffin dodger

[@krileayn]

The Senile old beast rather

[@rrbbet]

Why does he not say what he really want's which is the replacement of the British people their complete non existence not only of Britain but the entire West the disappearance of the White European. For he knows what he wishes, is of that consequence very Binary nothing complicated that is what it is.

[@exiletsj2570]

This is an insane thing to say. What possible reason, would he want that for?

[@rrbbet]

@@exiletsj2570 Simple maths when you have an open border policy in all but name this is what happens E A S Y! he is not the only one of coarse. More people came into the country under the Tories than Labor.

[@Humannondancer]

@@rrbbet On the other hand, if we restrict immigration to very low numbers, there won't be enough younger working people to provide services to our ever ageing western societies. Try searching _demography of UK_ or any other predominantly "white" country.

[@rrbbet]

@@Humannondancer You know I could say so much on this statement and how pathetic or even evil in it's intent I would imagine you have . All i will say is this your future may well be Islamic and people like you will deserve that kind of regime.If we have which we do a birthrate problem it can be reversed if the will is there but our beloved leaders won't because that is what they want White European replacement . The indigenous British people are now a minority in Birmingham as well as London soon to be in every major city and town in this ISLAND.

[@Humannondancer]

@@rrbbet 'How Societies Turn Cruel' by Three Arrows

[@UncleMort]

As wet as they come, kicked out of the party 20 years too late.

[@KEYUNTISER]

I don't like or respect Ken Clarke because he is anti democratic.

[@anthonydiggle2926]

His constituents voted Remain. He was merely representing their wishes, if you view it from a micro level.

[@polaris7122]

@@anthonydiggle2926 It was a UK vote. So how his constituents voted was irrelevant, the micro level does not come into the equation. He is undemocratic!!!!!!

[@anthonydiggle2926]

An MP is there to represent his constituents. His constituents voted to remain. He is merely looking after their wishes. If he totally ignored them, his constituents may accuse him of being undemocratic!

[@paddycable1723]

Utter nonsense

[@robertholland8283]

os·tra·cize /ˈästrəˌsīz/ exclude (someone) from a society or group. (in ancient Greece) banish (an unpopular or too powerful citizen) from a city for five or ten years by popular vote.