UnHerd is getting interesting again! I love the fact that a myriad of new voices are being given a platform! It matters not if I agree with them or not. l don’t care if the writing is (sometimes) not as polished as that of the usual suspects – I can live with that (and that is definitely not directed at this piece, which is very good). The important thing is to let a million voices speak. This is a good model for UnHerd to follow, very well done!
Hey Gloria, is SSD a euphemism for premoting that you are going to splurge some spam all over? Go on then, hit me with your tale about how your brother-in-law is makin’ $500 a day, you know I’m dyin’ to hear that stuff.
I quite agree. It is great to have a variety of opinions and on the only occasion I met the late Alan Clark, I found him honest and amusing. I did not agree with him about his liking for Hitler, etc, but at least he was not like the drippy dullards we have now… What next for the Tories? One privileged prat who studied PPE at Oxford or another privileged prat who studied PPE at Oxford – it’s hardly an inspired set of options.
CHARLES STANHOPE
1 year ago
Thank you, an excellent excoriation of Clark summed up perfectly by your phrase “he remained an expert spectator, but poor player, of the game”
One notable omission was that for his all his macho posturing Clark was a natural born coward. Thanks to a deplorable piece of skulduggery whilst at Eton, Clark managed to avoid National Service. Not a good report for an Englishman who called his Alsatian dog Adolph!
However, ‘heaven be praised’, his sexual adventures never rivalled those of that notorious pervert and former Tory Cabinet Minister, Ernest Marples (of Motorway fame), and his loyalty to Lady Thatcher, particularly at the ‘end’ was outstanding.
Possibly too. I should add that Clark’s diaries are a wonderful read. I remember a very amusing and insightful article by Craig Brown, comparing the differing accounts of some event in (respectively) Clark’s and Edwina Currie’s diaries. Clark’s account was razor-sharp, witty and (I’m certain) accurate. Currie’s was self-serving claptrap, more typical of the type of politico that sadly we’re lumbered with.
Ironically Hesseltine also found a way to avoid National Service. After nine months of hell in the Welsh Guards he discovered that if he stood as a Parliamentary Candidate he could escape further service, which is precisely what he did!
Given Clark’s later bitchy comment about Hessetine ‘buying his own furniture’, one can but laugh!
He wrote an excellent account of Operation Barbarossa in 1965, so much so I was surprised that Beevor followed through with Stalingrad some years later.
Mark Hawkins
1 year ago
With Carrie working for Damian Aspinall and Truss having an interesting symbiotic relationship with Robin Birley it seems more like the Lucan gang have taken over the tory party than Alan Clark.
Richard Rolfe
1 year ago
The “podgy life-insurance-risk” had the last laugh, having out-lived Clark by 22 years and counting.
Nicky Samengo-Turner
1 year ago
Much as I loved Alan Clark’s diaries and his amusing persona, He was ( and I’m sure it was part of his satire) a bit of a faux gent, but I believe that he knew that and played the image for fun!
Nicky Samengo-Turner
1 year ago
Much as I loved Alan Clark’s diaries and his amusing persona, He was ( and I’m sure it was part of his satire) a bit of a faux gent, but I believe that he knew that and played the image for fun!
Nicky Samengo-Turner
1 year ago
What I loved most about Alan Clark was as to how he upset the bourgeois ” Ooh what will the neighbours think?” heome ceounties middle classes… For that alone he should have been made a Saint upon his passing…
Nicky Samengo-Turner
1 year ago
What I loved most about Alan Clark was as to how he upset the bourgeois ” Ooh what will the neighbours think?” heome ceounties middle classes… For that alone he should have been made a Saint upon his passing…
Nicky Samengo-Turner
1 year ago
Alan Clark was the most superb antidote to Toylittory, corfam and poly draylon intra M25 man an woman!
UnHerd is getting interesting again! I love the fact that a myriad of new voices are being given a platform! It matters not if I agree with them or not. l don’t care if the writing is (sometimes) not as polished as that of the usual suspects – I can live with that (and that is definitely not directed at this piece, which is very good). The important thing is to let a million voices speak. This is a good model for UnHerd to follow, very well done!
SSD
Hey Gloria, is SSD a euphemism for premoting that you are going to splurge some spam all over? Go on then, hit me with your tale about how your brother-in-law is makin’ $500 a day, you know I’m dyin’ to hear that stuff.
I quite agree. It is great to have a variety of opinions and on the only occasion I met the late Alan Clark, I found him honest and amusing. I did not agree with him about his liking for Hitler, etc, but at least he was not like the drippy dullards we have now… What next for the Tories? One privileged prat who studied PPE at Oxford or another privileged prat who studied PPE at Oxford – it’s hardly an inspired set of options.
Thank you, an excellent excoriation of Clark summed up perfectly by your phrase “he remained an expert spectator, but poor player, of the game”
One notable omission was that for his all his macho posturing Clark was a natural born coward. Thanks to a deplorable piece of skulduggery whilst at Eton, Clark managed to avoid National Service. Not a good report for an Englishman who called his Alsatian dog Adolph!
However, ‘heaven be praised’, his sexual adventures never rivalled those of that notorious pervert and former Tory Cabinet Minister, Ernest Marples (of Motorway fame), and his loyalty to Lady Thatcher, particularly at the ‘end’ was outstanding.
Clark did not disguise his admiration for the late fuhrer. And both were vegetarians, always a bad sign.
And dog lovers?
Possibly too. I should add that Clark’s diaries are a wonderful read. I remember a very amusing and insightful article by Craig Brown, comparing the differing accounts of some event in (respectively) Clark’s and Edwina Currie’s diaries. Clark’s account was razor-sharp, witty and (I’m certain) accurate. Currie’s was self-serving claptrap, more typical of the type of politico that sadly we’re lumbered with.
Also interesting to read Michael Heseltine’s version of the same events. As you say, I’m also more inclined to believe the accuracy of Clark’s.
Ironically Hesseltine also found a way to avoid National Service. After nine months of hell in the Welsh Guards he discovered that if he stood as a Parliamentary Candidate he could escape further service, which is precisely what he did!
Given Clark’s later bitchy comment about Hessetine ‘buying his own furniture’, one can but laugh!
Yes I must agree, the diaries were epic, almost another Pepys.
Mind you Wedgewood Benn’s diaries were also good.
Edwina of “up periscope “ infamy with John Major Esq?
I thought he was an OR in The Blues?
For 24 hours. He was old enough to have served in Palestine or Malaya, but in the event did neither.
was he not a trooper recruit for a bit in the Household Cavalry ? His son became an Officer in The Blues.. or The Life Guards?
Clark’s insights into forward planning at the Ministry of Defence were, and probably still are, invaluable.
He wrote an excellent account of Operation Barbarossa in 1965, so much so I was surprised that Beevor followed through with Stalingrad some years later.
With Carrie working for Damian Aspinall and Truss having an interesting symbiotic relationship with Robin Birley it seems more like the Lucan gang have taken over the tory party than Alan Clark.
The “podgy life-insurance-risk” had the last laugh, having out-lived Clark by 22 years and counting.
Much as I loved Alan Clark’s diaries and his amusing persona, He was ( and I’m sure it was part of his satire) a bit of a faux gent, but I believe that he knew that and played the image for fun!
Much as I loved Alan Clark’s diaries and his amusing persona, He was ( and I’m sure it was part of his satire) a bit of a faux gent, but I believe that he knew that and played the image for fun!
What I loved most about Alan Clark was as to how he upset the bourgeois ” Ooh what will the neighbours think?” heome ceounties middle classes… For that alone he should have been made a Saint upon his passing…
What I loved most about Alan Clark was as to how he upset the bourgeois ” Ooh what will the neighbours think?” heome ceounties middle classes… For that alone he should have been made a Saint upon his passing…
Alan Clark was the most superb antidote to Toylittory, corfam and poly draylon intra M25 man an woman!