Compare the absolute contempt so many Tory MPs have for their constituents now with what Hugh Dykes and John Wilkinson wrote to me when I was 18 and looking for work in Parliament.

Both handwritten. Both hugely encouraging and engaging. Dykes' note was especially lovely.
Wilkinson, incidentally, was one of the rebel Tories under John Major. Yet he was dignified, humane, decent basically - including when I interrogated him Paxman-style when he came to speak at my school.

Dykes, meanwhile, was a Heseltine-style VERY pro-European Tory.
Both good constituency MPs. Both gentlemen. Even if their politics were very different from mine.

People always insist that PR would 'break the constituency link'. Folks: it's ALREADY been broken. MPs like in the OP couldn't give a toss. Ditto most Tories and some Labour too.
Speaking of politicians who came to speak to my school:

- Rhodes Boyson pre-Ali G. A raving idiot, who thought Haberdashers' results were all down to the teaching, and had absolutely nothing to do with it selecting the brightest pupils in North-West London at age 11. 🙄🙄🙄
- Douglas Hurd, the chap I'd actually wanted to win the 1990 leadership contest and had always respected. Except he had no answer whatever when I stood up from the audience and angrily challenged him on sanctions against Iraq.
"Saddam doesn't care one jot about his people! How dare you justify doing this to them when it has no impact on him?"

The Headmaster had to move things swiftly on, because old Mr Whippy was floundering.

- Lastly, Bob Hawke. A legendary leader and bloke.
As I mentioned on here some time back, he was the first person I'd ever heard who stated that China would become the most powerful country in the world - and his forecast was it'd happen by 2025-2030.

A visionary, he was. No Aussie leader since has held a candle to him.

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More from @shaunjlawson

11 Dec
With Labour unquestionably at least back in contention now, here's a brief rundown of my three golden rules in British electoral politics.

1. Far and away the most important polling measure is always "which party do you trust more on the economy?"
Black/White Wednesday put Labour in the lead on that essential issue in 1992.

Blair pledging to maintain Tory spending plans for the first term was all part of reassuring the public; Kinnock lost the 1992 election mostly through John Smith's Shadow Budget.
Because that reopened fears around the Winter of Discontent. Never has the power of the British media been greater than that.

On the morning of the 1992 election, my Mum - who'd voted SDP in the 80s - and her fellow dogwalkers were ALL terrified of Labour winning.
Read 38 tweets
11 Dec
***ADVICE FOR BOSSES AND WORKERS EVERYWHERE***

1. If you are a boss, and want to cultivate a warm, friendly atmosphere in your organisation, NEVER invite employees to your home. This is a power imbalance! Employees may feel under pressure to attend or agree with your opinions!
2. If you are a boss, and want to cultivate a warm, friendly atmosphere in your organisation, NEVER socialise with your employees.

This is a power imbalance! Employees may feel under pressure to agree with something you say! You could hurt their feelings! That is harassment!
3. If you are a boss, and want to cultivate a warm, friendly atmosphere in your organisation, NEVER attend a Christmas party in non-Covid times.

If you do, it is a power imbalance! Employees may feel under pressure! You could hurt their feelings! That is harassment!
Read 12 tweets
10 Dec
As well as English, I teach Politics and History. I've just had a class with an extremely sharp 15-year-old Politics student. This week, we looked at the current shenanigans in Downing Street.

I started by checking he was up to date with the news, which he is. He's appalled.
Then I asked him: "What does it say about Britain that Boris Johnson managed to become Prime Minister?"

His answer: "It says that Britain has no self-respect".

I went on to explore Johnson's rise. And why he's been so wildly popular with so many.
I showed him the 'wiff-waff' speech from the Beijing 2008 closing ceremony. Which was laugh-a-minute. Afterwards, my student said:

"Well, I can understand why he's been so popular, but I cannot understand how someone like that is Prime Minister".
Read 6 tweets
10 Dec
THREAD: @GeorgeMonbiot.

George has been having his difficulties on here lately. I get entirely where he's coming from, because it's reminded me of my own! 😳

I'm @ ing him because I hope he gets the chance to read it at some point.

He's a hero of mine. Always has been.
I want to start by asking his many critics on here: how many of you have ever:

- Been made persona non grata in seven different countries because of your brilliant work exposing what was happening there?

- Been sentenced to life in prison in abstentia (as he was by Indonesia)?
- Been shot at?

- Been beaten up by military police?

- Been rendered comatose by hornets?

- Been attacked by security guards and had a metal spike driven through your foot?

- Tried to carry out a citizen's arrest of John Bolton?
Read 39 tweets
9 Dec
The downfall of British Prime Ministers: a potted history.

- Chamberlain: appeasement plus "peace for our time" plus Norway = bye bye

- Churchill: 'Socialist Gestapo' plus Tory (but not his) appeasement plus desire for a genuine welfare state = Labour landslide
- Attlee: too much austerity for too long, including rationing still going on at a time people started wanting things. We'd won the war. Had we lost the peace?

- Eden: d'oh! The third worst foreign policy blunder in postwar British history. Invited to... take early retirement.
- Macmillan: Profumo affair plus Night of Long Knives plus that stench of Tory decadence which would become oh so familiar

- Wilson: 'The pound in your pocket' plus England 2-3 West Germany plus the postwar settlement beginning to fail

- Heath: 3 Day Week plus weak leadership
Read 9 tweets
8 Dec
FAO Allegra Stratton: if you lay down with dogs, you get fleas.

You sold your soul for fame and glory. But the devil you made that pact with does not forget.

I'm reminded somewhat of Richard Keys and Andy Gray. Who reacted with shock when Murdoch and Sky hung them out to dry!
"It's a media circus!", wailed Dicky. About SKY TV for God's sake.

You had your choices Allegra. You made absolutely appalling ones. Now you can repent at your leisure, after being a disgusting, criminal PM (who you wanted to work for!) and vile government's little scapegoat.
It's fascinating when the actual, vulnerable human being is exposed.

As it was when Thatcher and May resigned - in both cases, having displayed zero empathy whatsoever for their countless victims.

Politics ISN'T a game. The kind of people Stratton was surrounded by think it is
Read 4 tweets

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