Novelist David Cornwell (AKA John le Carré) speaks sense on the elite, Brexit and Donald Trump
David Cornwell – better known as the novelist John le Carré – gave a rare interview in yesterday’s The Sunday Times. In it, he spoke candidly and revealed his beliefs that Brexit is something he “despises” and that Donald Trump “is such a horse’s arse.”
In the interview Cornwell told the paper’s Bryan Appleyard:
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“Surely the definition of a decent society is: one, how it chooses its elite; and, two, how it looks after its losers. Now we choose our elite horribly badly and, as long as private education commands the scene, don’t talk to me about levelling the playing field — the social contract is bust in this country.”
“We’re getting people who start their political careers at university and go in as special assistants to MPs, like those ridiculous people who were advising May [Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill]. We are run by the wrong elite.”
“I understand why people who are socially deprived, with the safety net taken away from them and treated as second-class citizens, have every right to vote for some other dream. I understand that, and I understand it needs a desperate remedy, and fast, but Brexit isn’t the answer.”
Of Trump, he added:
“The Russian-Ukrainian money trail is the one that, combined with collusion in Russian electoral tampering, will, with luck, nail him.”
Cornwell is spot on all scores and we salute him.
‘A Legacy of Spies’ by John le Carré is out on Thursday (Viking, £20). Pre-order from Amazon for £9.50 by clicking here.
Readers have their say
9 comments
He is a very wise and intriguing man.
Agreed!
As a property professional you are telling us he measures up?
He’s sounding logical but the two examples, Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy, he gives of the elite getting into positions of power belie his argument. Both come from working class backgrounds and (you can prove me wrong here), I don’t think Fiona Hill went to university. Timothy did not attend Oxbridge. Absolutely nothing wrong with either of those facts but what is his definition of elite?
Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy are two examples of dimwits whose behaviour nearly brought us Corbyn.
your forgetting why people voted for Britexit, and Trump Because the ruling class of both parties were screwing over the working middle class.
Exactly
Splendid fellow and thoroughly decent chap.
Years ago he gave a lift to my brother.
He spent the entire time talking about himself.