You don’t need us to tell you that politics here (and everywhere else) is bitterly divided.
And nobody can seem to agree on the best way to start tackling the country’s problems.
It’s in that context that this letter went viral this week. It was written in 2023 to the New Statesman magazine, in response to an article entitled ‘The strange death of the centre-right‘.
The article was about how “conventional conservative” movements and governments across the West seemed to be floundering.
In response, one letter, by Dr Stephen Watkins, really stood out. And it so perfectly nails our current situation that it went viral again this week (courtesy of Twitter/X user @PaulSchleifer).
I read this ages ago and it still chills me. pic.twitter.com/gb17kgATzb
— Paul Schleifer ♻️ (@PaulSchleifer) September 16, 2025
It reads:
In 1962 I was a Conservative. I believed privilege could only be justified by service, high taxes on very high incomes were necessary to prevent an entrepreneurial economy becoming a rentier economy, and Keynesian growth would finance public service improvements and a welfare state that steadily reduced inequality. I was suspicious of ideologically driven, large-scale change. These were the mainstream policies of the Macmillan government at the time. In 60 years I have moved from centre right to hard left without changing my opinions.
Dr Stephen Watkins, Oldham, Lancashire
The re-shared letter prompted a lot of discussion on Twitter/X.
1.
Ditto. And I agree completely – I never agreed with them, but they used to come across as reasonable. They come across as raving lunatics now!
— Paul Schleifer ♻️ (@PaulSchleifer) September 18, 2025
2.
In spite of all we are told, the society might appear more liberal about a few things but some of what were essentially conservative points of view are now derogatively called “communist” by people who don’t know history & don’t know what any of it means. It’s insane.
— VP (@VP1015) September 17, 2025
3.
Yeah, I broadly get the point although I have never been a Conservative, more moderate left of centre. I also feel like I’m on the hard left now despite having similar opinions to those I’ve always held (I wouldn’t say none of my opinions have changed).
— Ann Howarth (@AnnLHowarth) September 20, 2025
4.
For all those who falsely claim that the left has moved further left alienating the centre right. https://t.co/qc0Zzmjhnu
— Ken (@KenRDKAB) September 18, 2025
5.
— I_Created_U (@u_created) September 18, 2025
6.
Brilliantly put! https://t.co/KA9UdeaimP
— Lynn Robertson Hay #BraveTheDark️ #DoctorWho (@LynnRobsHay) September 18, 2025
7.
I agree. I feel I haven’t moved left…. the world has slid right. https://t.co/f37y5uoKiB
— Drew (blocked by NSN sookybois) Mountford (@Lord_Bogan) September 18, 2025
8.
I have been saying this for years. Macmillan and Eisenhower, were they in politics today, would be labelled as hard left. https://t.co/BdXNtZpXD8
— W. J. Thirsk-Gaskill (@wthirskgaskill) September 18, 2025
9.
This is very true – a reminder that the Tories of that time immediately expelled Enoch Powell for his Rivers of Blood speech, whereas now they’re in a race with Labour and Reform to see who can channel them best for today’s voters https://t.co/LLdfiXxqgZ
— Man in the High Castle (@mcelderrytruth) September 17, 2025
10.
The state that we are currently in … https://t.co/wXiO8E3NFG
— damnright (@dizzybooknerd) September 17, 2025
11.
Needs to be reshared often. Let’s move the dial back to a better world https://t.co/b8hnmqemjD
— Mike Cosgrave (@mikecosgrave) September 17, 2025
12.
This always makes me consider what hideous political transformation has taken place over my lifetime.
— Nigel Brittain (@JustStopAle) September 18, 2025
Source: Twitter/X/paulschleifer
