A brilliant article, which also saves me from having to read the book. An aside; Rory was known, from hospital days in Iraq (I am reliably informed) as 'Florence' of Belgravia. This was, allegedly, due to his insistence that being overly nice to Jihadis would stop them planting roadside IEDs and such.
In this, as with so many other things, Florence was wrong.
Excellent article that popped up in my SS account only just now for some reason. The problem is, is that Stewart is fundamentally wet. As you say his most useful quality to liberals is his harmlessness. Campbell sees this and uses him as a foil to his own deeply unpleasant personality and history. Stewart does belong in the Empire but not as an anthropologist or soldier but as an abolitionist or late-Victorian moraliser. Likeable or not he is ineffectual because he is unwilling to confron the ugly but existential questions which in my opinion are entirely to do with immigration. These are the ultimate questions the avoidance of which are diagnostic of a liberal i.e. a coward.
This is a very well written piece. (I wonder if it was recommended to me because my phone recently overheard me say to someone that if we never heard from Rory Stewart again it would be too soon!) It's much more generous than I would be to a man who launders the public persona of Alistair Campbell, but goes some way to explaining his otherwise inexplicable appeal.
Hearing Stewart whine about his Mrs useless charity losing funding in the DOGE cuts made my year. The privilege of these people exudes from every pore. How these upper class morons exist in their silver spoon fed bubbles and continue to have a voice within society although they never achieve anything but their own “success” is a continuing amazement to me. He’s the perfect example of the rottenness and nepotism at the heart of British society.
Lovely writing! This, in particular “Politics always involves caricatures, and Stewart has built one for himself: Lawrence of Belgravia.” Is glorious!!!!
A brilliant article, which also saves me from having to read the book. An aside; Rory was known, from hospital days in Iraq (I am reliably informed) as 'Florence' of Belgravia. This was, allegedly, due to his insistence that being overly nice to Jihadis would stop them planting roadside IEDs and such.
In this, as with so many other things, Florence was wrong.
Perhaps his point of view is not ‘mainstream’ which is part of his ‘gift’. He’s got guts….not something many politicos have these days.
Great read Rian.
Thank you Seb!
Excellent article that popped up in my SS account only just now for some reason. The problem is, is that Stewart is fundamentally wet. As you say his most useful quality to liberals is his harmlessness. Campbell sees this and uses him as a foil to his own deeply unpleasant personality and history. Stewart does belong in the Empire but not as an anthropologist or soldier but as an abolitionist or late-Victorian moraliser. Likeable or not he is ineffectual because he is unwilling to confron the ugly but existential questions which in my opinion are entirely to do with immigration. These are the ultimate questions the avoidance of which are diagnostic of a liberal i.e. a coward.
This is a very well written piece. (I wonder if it was recommended to me because my phone recently overheard me say to someone that if we never heard from Rory Stewart again it would be too soon!) It's much more generous than I would be to a man who launders the public persona of Alistair Campbell, but goes some way to explaining his otherwise inexplicable appeal.
Thank you Robert.
Hearing Stewart whine about his Mrs useless charity losing funding in the DOGE cuts made my year. The privilege of these people exudes from every pore. How these upper class morons exist in their silver spoon fed bubbles and continue to have a voice within society although they never achieve anything but their own “success” is a continuing amazement to me. He’s the perfect example of the rottenness and nepotism at the heart of British society.
I think Stewart is more gracious about his nepotism than some... looking at Peston.
Yep
Steer me, what’s he done that stood out?
Great review and a good appraisal of the man.
He seems to spend a lot of time travelling
Lovely writing! This, in particular “Politics always involves caricatures, and Stewart has built one for himself: Lawrence of Belgravia.” Is glorious!!!!
This is witty, brilliant read! Thank you. 😂