Churchill’s troubles with Tory traditionalists

YOUR correspondent John Toothill (Yorkshire Post, January 24) seems to be saying that Churchill was the last great Tory and that is replicated in the letter’s headline.

However, even a cursory read of the history of this undoubtedly great man will show that he was reviled by so many of the traditional Conservative Party, and not just because he crossed the floor of the House to sit with the Liberals when he and his erstwhile colleagues could not agree on his liberalising opinions.

Further, much of Churchill’s greatness came in coalition with the great Liberal, David Lloyd George, not only in putting some backbone into other politicians during WW1 when things were going badly, but by social innovation to help the poorer people of the country; again much opposed by traditional Conservatives.

For these good works he was cast into his “wilderness years” when fortunately he had the foresight to see that Britain should prepare itself for troubles, contrary to the rather limp conciliatory attitudes of many in what had again become his party.

He was rewarded with leadership of the nation through the appalling years of World War Two, including his personal efforts to get help from our cousins in America, but even during those years he had his opponents within his own party.

When it was over, the people he had led through thick and thin rewarded him by chucking him out of office.

This complex man, at times arrogant at others humble but always brave, was born into privilege, but with spendthrift parents, notably his mother, in later life he had to find his own way which he did with the power of his pen and the help of researchers and friends who believed in him.

A great man, yes, but to suggest that he might be alike with current so-called traditional Conservatives is questionable.