Former Chancellor Ken Clarke has given an interview to tomorrow's Times (Saturday) rich in quotes in which he reiterates his support for George Osborne and states again that he does not want a frontbench job.
Here are some of the highlights of what he has to say.
On George Osborne:
“The attacks on George are foolish and I don't agree with them. I think he is very good. It would be bizarre for David to move George. Politically it would look weak. People keep using me as a stick to beat George with. I'm not particularly flattered. I've realised it's just Bash George fortnight.”
On Osborne's warning of a run on the pound:
“I was amazed anybody bought the idea, being spun by Gordon's people, that there was some convention that you don't talk about the pound - that's daft. I remember Harold Wilson used to get frightfully upset about people selling sterling short but that didn't stop people talking about the pound because the pound was weak.”
On the leadership's resistance to promising tax cuts:
“David and George have made us look like a potentially governing party again but the message has not quite spread to some of my colleagues. These are the people who think you've got to promise tax cuts to win any election. We've fought elections on tax cuts when you can't afford them and usually we've lost - we did actually win one in 1992, which was a considerable embarrassment to me when I was Chancellor because there wasn't the slightest chance of any tax cuts.”
On refusing to serve on the Opposition frontbench:
“Dave asked me to be Leader of the House when he took over and I said no. I prefer to be a backbencher. It's tedious being an opposition spokesman. You have to do one subject - you can't suddenly say, ‘Sorry I'm not here next week, I'm in a forest somewhere in West Africa'.”
On the notion of being Chancellor now:
“It's a pity I'm not chancellor at a time like this because I like a crisis. It gets the adrenalin going. This one really is tricky, so it would be fun to be involved.”
On the notion of being Chancellor in the future:
“It's rather fanciful to go down that route, but everybody who is offered the chancellorship thinks about it and of course I wouldn't just turn it down peremptorily.”
Well, Mr. Clarke has just gone up in my estimation immensely.
Posted by: Patsy Sergeant | November 21, 2008 at 23:22
What odds can I get that someone interprets these comments as meaning:
a) he's unhappy with the way things are going;
b) he wants to replace George O;
c) he thinks the Tories can't win the next election as things are going now;
d) all of the above?
Posted by: Raj | November 21, 2008 at 23:30
Clarke does not need to go on the frontbench. He can make more dosh on the backbenches. His fellow Bilderberger Osborne (both have attended in the last 3 conferences) will ensure that the Conservatives remain Europhile.
Anyone here who thinks that the Cameroons will leave the EPP or renogotiate EU membership are very naive. This is most EUfanatical Tory leadership since Grocer Heath and Tont Barber. The policies are virtually identical.
Posted by: Eurorealist | November 21, 2008 at 23:30
Oh, and I think some members of the party could take a lesson from Ken on what to do in a crisis.
When the going gets tough, Ken gets behind the leadership.
Posted by: Raj | November 21, 2008 at 23:31
Best leader we never had.
Posted by: Mike A | November 21, 2008 at 23:43
Please, Lord Clarke of Rushcliffe, please!
Posted by: John Moss | November 21, 2008 at 23:52
Best leader we never had.
After being rejected in 1997 and 2001 you can't blame the guy for giving up on the frontbench....
Posted by: Raj | November 22, 2008 at 00:14
Oh AND 2005 - nearly forgot that one.
Posted by: Raj | November 22, 2008 at 00:15
The man is an absolute liability. The sooner he retires to spend more time with his Hamlet cigars and his cigarette peddling job the better.
PS What he knows about VAT isn't worth knowing.
Posted by: Dontmakemelaugh | November 22, 2008 at 00:18
He's the most popular Conservative MP that I can think of. Why doesn't he get the job of advising George Osbourne? Surely doesn't need a frontbench job for that.
Posted by: Andrew S | November 22, 2008 at 01:40
So Ken Clarke doesn't want to do anything in opposition but would more then happy to take a senior Cabinet position once people like Cameron and Osbourne have done all the heavy lifting of getting us back into office again. This man is considered a "big beast" why?
Posted by: Giovanni | November 22, 2008 at 08:16
Although I abhor Clarke's views on the EU he camw across in this interview as intelligent and likeable.George should seek his advice.
Posted by: Malcolm Dunn | November 22, 2008 at 19:00
This man is considered a "big beast" why?
Prehaps he is now a lazy old has-been. I am sorry to hear that he has lost the desire for the fight. Prehaps a little less good living would get the old Beast back up to speed. Maybe the real trurth is he simply can't stand the Eton in club and its old school habits. After all Ken is an old school real Tory not some public school twit.
Posted by: Kendo nakasaki | November 22, 2008 at 19:19