James Delingpole James Delingpole

James Delingpole: What’s wrong with being right?

Photo by Ian Waldie/Getty Images

I’m trying to imagine what Britain would look like under a Ukip/Conservative coalition with Cameron as PM and Farage as his deputy. The idea fills me with horror.

I think, for example, of the runaway economic boom which would result from the sudden dash to exploit our superabundant shale gas resources; I think of the revolution which would occur in education were free schools freed to make a profit; I think of the rolling back of political correctness, the reinvention of the NHS on the Singapore model, the epic reduction in public spending, the cancellation of High Speed 2, the death of the renewable energy scam. It would be a nightmare, I tell you, a complete bloody nightmare. Whatever would there be left for people like me to write about?

Luckily, it’s not going to happen for at least three reasons. The first is that things you want to happen in politics never do happen: instead — which is why my old mucker Dave is more consummate a politician than I’ll ever be — it’s all about compromise, double–dealing and fudge. And the second is that Dave could never work as comfortably with Farage as he does with Nick Clegg because he’s not remotely right-wing — he’s a social democrat.

A few years ago, when we were still on speaking terms, I put this to Dave at the Spectator party. ‘Dave,’ I said. ‘How come you’ve turned into such a fucking lefty?’ I can’t remember what Dave’s diplomatic reply was. But what I do remember is that he made no attempt to dispute the premise. Even back then — not long after he’d become Conservative party leader — Dave had clearly made up his mind that not being thought right-wing was a stigma about which a potential Tory PM could afford to be intensely relaxed.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in