Peregrine Worsthorne on Conrad Black

The former editor of the Sunday Telegraph on mini-Murdoch:

My disagreements with Conrad have arisen since I stopped working for him. I’ve been critical in the past decade because he’s turned The Telegraph into an American-propaganda and Israel-propaganda sheet which I don’t agree with. I think that neo-conservative, right-wing philosophy which is very much an American phenomenon is very alien [to Britain] and not part of our tradition. I do think his doctrinaire, almost blind support for America in the Iraq war has given The Telegraph a narrowness of vision that makes it a less impressive newspaper than it should be.

As if to assure us of Worsthorne’s correctness, Canadian David Frum chimes in:

For now, let’s just observe that under Black’s leadership, the Daily Telegraph has matured into a truly great newspaper that has inspired and sustained conservative causes in Britain and throughout Europe. If Black is succeeded by new leadership less committed to the ideals and principles of the Daily Telegraph, British conservatism will lose its most eloquent voice – and the Anglo-American alliance, its best friend in the British media.