MICHAEL FOOT

Michael Foot was a decent and principled man. But he was a hopeless political leader. After the Winter of Discontent and the subsequent electoral defeat by Margaret Thatcher in 1979, the British Labour Party rather lost its way. By electing Michael Foot instead of the much more able Denis Healey, it paved the way for 18 unbroken years of Conservative Government. Only after Tony Blair had taken control of the party and ditched a lot of the collectivist ideals championed by Mr. Foot, could it hope to be reelected.

Mr Foot was often - and again is - called a "great parliamentarian". In my view, that is a label attached to people who spend a long time in Parliament, but who do not succeed in Government. Michael Foot wanted to run the country. It was a good thing he never got the chance.

Walter Blotscher