The fascists' press baron Friday, 22 November, 2024 The following letter was published in The New Statesman on 22 November. Lord Northcliiffe was the greatest press baron of his time, but cannot be censured for supporting fascism. It got substantial press backing from elsewhere. Alison Phillips (The Critics, 8 November) states that “Northcliffe supported Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts and the Nazis”. That would have been difficult since Northcliffe... Articles
Tamworth and the Tories 24th October 2023 On 19 October, Labour won its biggest by-election victory over the Conservatives since the Second World war in Tamworth, a seat that has a special significance... Recent News
Was Lord Rosebery gay? 10th October 2023 There has been much speculation about this Liberal prime minister, who held the highest political office briefly in 1894-5. Suspicions intensified after a... Articles
Two future kings and their mistresses 6th October 2023 The two future Kings were Edward VIII and his brother who succeeded him after the 1936 abdication, George VI. The mistresses were both upper-class women: Mrs... Articles
The 1922 Committee: Past and present 4th October 2023 In the year of the Committee’s centenary, a fine account of its evolution and its role today has been written by Philip Norton, Professor Lord Norton of Louth... Articles
The greatness of Stanley Baldwin 29th September 2023 In September 2018, Alistair Lexden spoke about the significance of Stanley Baldwin’s career after the unveiling of a statue of the three- times prime minister... Speeches
It's time to revise the Conservative leadership election rules 20th September 2023 What happened last October when Liz Truss resigned underlines the need to look again at the rules under which a Tory leader is elected, as Alistair Lexden... Articles
Unionism and Conservatism 15th September 2023 The speech which follows was delivered by Alistair Lexden in a debate on Northern Ireland in the House of Lords on 14 September. I speak, as always, as an... Speeches
The greatest Irish leader of the 19th Century 13th September 2023 That is how Charles Stewart Parnell is—rightly—described in a new book by the leading Irish historian, Paul Bew. Alistair Lexden ‘s review of the book... Articles
Braverman problems 1st September 2023 The following letter was published in The New Statesman on 1 September, with one or two editorial cuts. Suella Braverman, the only person ever to go back to the... Articles
