The Diplomat
People, composure and the difficult conversation held well.
William Hague is a seasoned political leader known for his ability to navigate complex political landscapes. This interview highlights his commitment to collaboration and understanding in addressing the challenges facing modern governance.
“Yeah, well, this was all I had going for me at that time, at various times. You know, when I took over as leader of the opposition, we were 40 points behind in opinion polls. Labour had a vast majority. It was clearly going to be a long road back. For a long time we couldn't win anything. We were out of the media, really, altogether.”
“Yeah, I did think it was inevitable. And actually, so did he think it was inevitable. We really came to the view that this country was heading for a referendum at some stage on the EU, that it couldn't be avoided, not just because of pressure inside the Conservative Party, but outside the Conservative Party. There was a lot of pressure.”
“There was a bit. I didn't say I was going to resign, but I think I looked as if I was going to because David Cameron and Georgia Osborne gave me a lot of attention in the days after that and said, look, you know, it's not going to improve it if we have a different foreign sector.”
“Really, honestly, there isn't. It's a fair question, but I really got it out of my system. I was definitely leader too young of the Conservative Party. I wouldn't recommend it to any 36-year-old in future. You know, you're just not, it's an order of magnitude bigger job than any other cabinet job.”
Political Thinking with Nick Robinson — The Blair and Hague One
LISTEN AT THE SOURCE ↗THE RECORD IS CHECKABLE