Michael Heseltine rolled back the years with a blistering onslaught at the Tory conference on Kemi Badenoch’s new policies on human rights, asylum seekers and climate change.
The 92-year-old former deputy prime minister also bitterly attacked Nigel Farage, appearing to compare Reform UK and other right-wing parties in Europe to the fascists of the 1930s.
The Conservative peer, nicknamed ‘Tarzan’ when he was the darling of the Tory faithful during the premierships of Margaret Thatcher and John Major, told Sky News he was attending the Conservative Party conference for the first time since 1997.
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He spoke at a European Movement fringe meeting alongside former Liberal Democrat MP Sir Nick Harvey, and demonstrated that his pro-European views remain as strong as ever.
Lord Heseltine began his speech by denouncing right-wing parties “on the march” in Europe, including Reform, as among the “right-wing equivalents of the fascists in the ’30s”.
And he added later: “We will never, never, have any part in the populist extremism of Nigel Farage. We have to deal with President Trump for the next three years, we don’t want his mouthpiece anywhere near Number 10.”
The veteran peer also strongly attacked Ms Badenoch‘s new policy, announced on Sunday, of withdrawing the UK from the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) and the European Court.
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“If any changes are required, the worst thing is to walk out and turn our back on one of the most civilised of European creations,” he said.
“The right way is to follow David Cameron’s example and seek change by agreement, as he did in 2012 with the Brighton Declaration.
“It is more than possible that the widespread concerns about asylum seekers across Europe would make a review welcome to many signatories.”
Michael Heseltine (R) was Margaret Thatcher’s defence minister in the 1980s. Pic: PA
Secondly, Lord Heseltine criticised Ms Badenoch’s new policy, also announced at the weekend, of deporting 150,000 migrants a year and accused senior Tories of demonising asylum seekers.
“The overwhelming majority of asylum seekers want to share in our standards, and to escape from persecution or civil war,” he said.
“To describe them as thieves or rapists is not just dishonest, but encourages the worst sort of prejudice in our communities.”
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And thirdly, he attacked the current Tory leadership’s policy of scrapping climate change targets and carbon taxes, claiming it was Margaret Thatcher who first warned about global warming.
“The threat from global warming must not be ignored in the hope that it may not happen or because there is a backlash against the cost,” he said.
“We should be proud of our role in the battle to halt climate change. It was Margaret Thatcher who gave one of the starkest and earliest warnings of the dangers.
“Today the evidence in storms, coastal erosion, flooding, fire and the spread of desert is all too clear.
“It would be an act of unforgivable irresponsibility to undo all that Conservatives have done to play a leading role in this world-threatening crisis.”
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Quoting polling evidence showing low numbers of Conservative voters among young people, he said: “A stark warning comes when you look at the age group of the present Conservative supporters and see how weighted it is towards older voters.
“I want to see the election of another Tory government.
“I believe there are five broad issues that they must address: the defence of the realm; the restoration of strength and confidence in our economy; the rule of law; the threat to our environment from pollution, global warming and climate change; and the restoration of British influence in the world.
“This is an agenda that should appeal to the younger electorate that will be in place by the next election.”
In a Sky News interview after his fringe meeting, Lord Heseltine said he wasn’t surprised by our YouGov poll showing 50% of Tory members want Ms Badenoch replaced, and a majority of them want a pact with Reform UK.
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“She’s taken on a very difficult situation and in very difficult world circumstances,” he said. “The problems she has inherited are not her responsibility, and it’s bound to take time.”
And on the prospect of Mr Farage becoming prime minister, Lord Heseltine told Sky News: “I can’t think of anything that would be more damaging for British prestige throughout the world.
“He’s a populist. He doesn’t really have policies. He’s an actor. When he started on the journey, we never saw him without a pint of beer in his hand because he wanted to equate to the working-class people in struggle.
“Then there was a confusion over farming, and he turned up wearing clothes like a farmer. He’s just a phoney.”
