The case of Prue Leith

 On the latest Food Programme on Radio 4, asked about her political stance Prue Leith said "we are probably woolly liberals". Yet unusually for her generation - my generation - she voted for Brexit. There is certainly an anti-authoritarian strand in traditional liberalism. Leading up to the 2016 referendum, the Brexiteers' PR machine, helped by the BBC, exaggerated the control exercised by the European Commission and dismissed that of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. This may well have deceived liberally-inclined voters who ventured no further than the Daily Mail and BBC current affairs programmes in forming their views on political topics. I know several grass-roots members and former members of the Liberal Democrats who felt that way.

But I suggest that the real reason that Ms Leith did not see the necessity for remaining in the EU was her background. She had been brought up in comfort in South Africa, disagreeing with apartheid (indeed she said she went on demos. against it), but nevertheless benefiting from the privileges it afforded. South Africa, although being committed legally to supporting the UK and the rest of the Empire against the Nazis and Japan, was distant from the main action and thus virtually unscathed. Those of us born in Britain in 1945 and earlier, and brought up here, would have been all too well aware of the damage, both physical and social, wrought by conflict between European nations. Politicians returning from action against Nazi Germany, like Harold Macmillan, Denis Healey and Edward Heath, supported the move to create a tighter bond between European nations so that war in Europe would be impossible in future. Our wartime leader Winston Churchill, a survivor of previous conflicts, also wanted to see Britain as part of such a community. As an immigrant to London in the 1960s, when the economy was apparently booming after a decade of austerity, Ms Leith would have missed all that.

"Liberal" would certainly not fit her son, Danny Kruger, Tory MP for Devizes. In his relatively short time in the Commons, he has consistently voted against increased devolution to Scotland and Wales, against fair votes and against evening up the size of constituencies. He has also voted for a meaner redundancy package for civil servants and for a hostile environment for EU nationals. 

None of the foregoing excuses the nasty tweets and other communications which the two have received. Feelings are strong, especially on Brexit, but we should not resort to thuggery.