History Forum / General / British History / May 2007

Fascinating series of articles today in The Telegraph.

Here's a sample, by Iain Martin.

DSH

Lux et Veritas et Libertas
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However, as we report today, her concerns about the legacy of the Blair
years run deep.  It is testament to her discretion and self-restraint in the
face of endless provocation that such worries appear to be expressed quietly
and without much anger.

His treatment of the countryside in particular has been casually cruel.
There has been no other prime minister during her reign who has blundered
across the constitutional stage with the same mixture of ahistorical
arrogance and slapdash lack of attention to detail.

The constitutional mess created by the vandalism of Lords reform and
asymmetrical devolution to the nations of the United Kingdom will take
decades to repair, if indeed it can be repaired at all.

The rebellious Fettes schoolboy, forever winding up his masters and testing
the limits of authority, made for a poor Prime Minister when those same
boyhood traits were applied in the running of a great country.  Mrs Blair
made it worse, finding the Queen boring.

She and her husband were far more at home with Carole Caplin than in the
company of a monarch who has a unique perspective on what has changed about
Britain and what has remained constant since the war.

There is, however, one direct parallel between the departures of Churchill
and Blair from office: both doubted the abilities of their successors,
Anthony Eden and Gordon Brown, to master the job of prime minister.

When the Queen and guests had departed Number 10, the diarist Colville went
upstairs with Winston.  "He sat on his bed, still wearing his garter, order
of merit and knee breeches. For several minutes he did not speak. Then
suddenly he stared at me with vehemence: 'I don't believe Anthony can do
it.'  His prophecies have often tended to be borne out by events."

The Queen could be forgiven for thinking that anyone will be better than the
Blairs. It would be an irony if the dour Scot Gordon Brown proved far more
considerate in his dealings with her, but it is quite possible.

He does have a grasp of the concept of duty.  His understanding that history
matters should enable him to appreciate the scale of the Queen's
contribution to national life for more than half a century, with the trips
to Scotland to visit Balmoral likely to prove less of an imposition.  And
David Cameron, with his county set background and feel for the countryside,
would be a natural.

Soon the Blairs will be gone, and a part of Elizabeth II's life should get
easier.  Hopefully, the invitation to dinner at Number 10 in the next month
never arrives and the monarch can stay at home to toast the end of an era
with a gin and vermouth.  She has earned it.

Iain Martin -- The Sunday Telegraph