ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE opposition here profiled, George Tierney, described the role as being “to oppose everything, and propose nothing — and to turn out the government”. In this survey, Nigel Fletcher, who co-founded the Centre for Opposition Studies, a think tank, gives us 42 sketches of the nearly-men (and two nearly-women) of British politics, from Charles James Fox to Jeremy Corbyn.
Each sketch is concise, pithy, enlightening, and witty. As you might expect, Fletcher endorses the “inherent value” of the role. “Whether genuine contenders or dutiful placeholders, all of them performed an important democratic function simply by doing the job.”
Fletcher has included only those who failed to make it to Downing Street as prime minister. Some were giants who provoke speculation as to what their premierships…
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The Critic (Digital) - 1 Issue, February 2024