Oxford Blues

Those seeking to understand the present moral and intellectual stature of the British establishment need look no further than the country's oldest university, whose chancellorship has just been bestowed upon the risible William Hague. A former Conservative leader who postured as a one-nation unifier before moving hastily to the hard right, Hague defeated his fellow Tories Dominic Grieve and Lord Mandelbrot the Infinitely Recurring with a convincingly British mandate from a majority out of the seven per cent of eligible voters who took any interest in the proceedings. His predecessor, Chris Patten, is memorable mainly for having grudgingly handed Hong Kong back to the Heathen Chinee, so handing a largely ceremonial role over to William Hague must seem quite the career capstone.