The pro-war, former SDP activist Daniel Finkelstein, now comment editor of The Times writes:
It has always seemed to me that Professor Marquand has been underestimated as a public thinker. His writing is more profound and insightful than anything else that has come out of the centre left for decades and his political influence (on Roy Jenkins first and then on Tony Blair) has been striking. He has had recognition, of course, but lesser thinkers have had more.
Finklestein is right about Marquand's 'political legacy' being striking. But that doesn't mean that Marquand was right. Here's my Daily Telegraph comment piece on the disastrous legacy of one of Marquand's closest political allies- the late, unlamented Roy Jenkins. Oops sorry, Lord Jenkins of Hillhead....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2003/01/09/do0901.xml
Roy Jenkins made Britain a far less civilised country by Neil Clark
(Filed: 09/01/2003)
By the way, can anyone think of two more disastrous post-war politicians than Woy and Tony Bliar- the two men Marquand had such 'striking political influence' on?
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2 comments:
You left out my favourite Woy/Marquand story.
When Woy was giving his farewell speach to the Commons, before going off to stick his snout in the Euro graveytrain, he said:
"I leave this House with wegret; but I leave it with no wancour."
At this point Denis Skinner yelled out: " I thought you were taking Marquand with you!"
You left out my favourite Woy/Marquand story.
When Woy was giving his farewell speach to the Commons, before going off to stick his snout in the Euro graveytrain, he said:
"I leave this House with wegret; but I leave it with no wancour."
At this point Denis Skinner yelled out: " I thought you were taking Marquand with you!"
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