"[W]hat was Peel really notable for? It was surely the perfection of what may be called “concessionary” Conservatism. This is the concept that the highest virtue in politics is to resist change until change becomes inevitable, and then to concede to it with as little fuss and as much obeisance to tradition as possible... Peel assumed, as most Conservative politicians until Mrs Thatcher generally have, that his political opponents represented the future. Their excesses must be resisted, but most of their causes in the end would prevail and the business of the Conservative Party was to make the transition as smooth as possible."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Prime Ministers of the United KingdomPoliticians from EnglandAcademics from the United KingdomConservative Party (UK) politiciansPeople from Manchester
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
T. E. Utley, ‘Peel's misplaced mantle’, The Times (9 February 1988), p. 16
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Robert_Peel
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850) was a British Conservative statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835 and 1841–1846) simultaneously serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer (1834-1835) and twice as Home Secretary (1822–1827 and 1828–1830). He is regarded as the father of modern English policing, owing to hi
84 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Robert Peel →
Related Quotes
"For a quarter of a century, at least, he was without question the first public servant of England; not the first in p…"
"He says no other Minister but Sir Robert Peel could have carried the repeal of the Corn Laws; that half the commercia…"
"[F]or God's sake, be sure, if the King is driven to the wall, of Peel. An appeal to him and his countrymen could not …"
"Whether he was a model of statesmanship may be doubted. Models of statesmanship are rare, if by a model of statesmans…"
"Peel is, in fact, the embodied reflex of the public mind of England."
"Peel's speech is, to me, the most affecting public event which I ever remember: no return of Cicero from exile, no tr…"
"[T]he right hon. Baronet at the head of the Government is a man of considerable capabilities as a legislator: he poss…"
"Lord Robert Cecil while at Oxford occasionally joined in the debates of the Union Society, taking the strong Tory sid…"
"[T]he people at large did care and enthusiastically care for the Conservative statesman who had sacrificed power to g…"
"Your Lordships must all feel the high and honourable character of the late Sir Robert Peel. I was long connected with…"