Next Monday I will be conducting my next IN CONVERSATION interview. This one will be with the Daily Telegraph's Simon Heffer.
Feel free to suggest what I should ask him!
PS Apologies for the lack of blogging this week. Due to pressure of work this is likely to continue until the end of next week. I then come up for breath!
Question 1: Before the last election Simon Heffer made great play of the fact that he proposed to stand against the sitting Tory MP for Saffron Walden, Alan Hazelhurst, if the latter did not stand down as Conservative candidate because of his parliamentary expense claims. In the event Alan Hazelhurst stood again as Tory candidate and Simon Heffer walked away from the fight. Why did he not put his money where his mouth is?
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: Given the continual criticism he makes of this Tory-led government, and in particular his criticisms of David Cameron, and his on-going hostility to Britain's membership of the EU, why has he not joined UKIP?
Question 3: Is Simon Heffer in reality the intellectual equivalent of the bar room know-all, who sounds off (in his case for money) on almost any subject under the sun, but is unwilling to actually put in the effort and put himself before the electorate?
Do you vote UKIP?
ReplyDeleteThere is only one question: When is your paper going to follow the Daily Express and start its campaign to get out of Europe?
ReplyDeleteCan you be out (hit wicket) on a wide?
ReplyDelete"Simon, given how camp you are, in a comedic sort of way, have you ever wondered how you landed a job with the Daily Mail?"
ReplyDeleteDo you believe there is a real opportunity for a new party of the right?
ReplyDeleteWho would you like to see leading such a party?
Who, in your opinion, is the conservative MP likiest to break away from the coalition?
We read that you were joining the Daily Mail, what happened?
Why are you so eurosceptic?
Ask him when he decided that the use of ad hominem comments was acceptable in assessing the qualities of the Chancellor of the Exchequer - also why does he affect a long standing friendship with the Prime Minister by constantly referring to him as Dave?
ReplyDeleteMore of a question for Iain.... why bother interviewing him? He doesn't offer interesting insights, or argue any consistent point of view other than extreme euro-scepticism and tedious personal animosity to the current Conservative leadership.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading a lot of your interviews, but Mr Heffer is such a bore that I can't imagine an interview will make good reading.
Why the hair?
ReplyDeleteSimon Heffer has been consistent in his dislike of David Cameron and George Osborne. Who would he rather have in their place?
ReplyDeleteHe has never given a preference in his Telegraph articles as far as I can recall.
I would have had Ken Clarke as Chancellor but am not so against Cameron even though he still seems more fluff than substance.