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{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[Image:Peter_Hitchens.jpgTemplate:Infobox writer]] -->|rightname = Peter Hitchens|thumb|250pximage = Peterhitchens.jpg|caption = Peter Hitchens]]'''| pseudonym = | birthname = Peter Jonathan Hitchens''' (28 October | birthdate = {{birth date and age|1951, |10|28}}| birthplace = [[MaltaSliema]]) is a , [[BritishMalta]] | occupation = [[journalistAuthor]], [[author]] and broadcaster. He currently writes for the British weekly [[newspaperJournalist]], [[The Mail on Sunday]]. He is the younger brother of journalist [[Christopher Hitchens]]. Hitchens is a former [[TrotskyismPundit (expert)|TrotskyistPundit]] and was a member of the [[International Socialists]] from 1969 to 1975, later joining the British [[Labour Party]] from 1979 to 1983. He also studied politics at [[York University]] between 1970 and 1973. | nationality = {{flagcountry|United Kingdom}}| period = | genre = | subject = | movement = | notableworks = | spouse =| children =| relatives =| influences = | influenced = | signature = | website = }}

However, in his early 30's he returned to the conservatism and Anglicanism of his upbringing<ref>''Peter Jonathan Hitchens'Katz, Ian''' ''When Christopher met Peter'' (born [[http://books.guardian.co.uk/hay2005/story/0,15880,1495897,00.html The Guardian, May 31 200528 October]] [[1951]] Accessed July 19 2007</ref> and in 1997 he joined the [[Conservative PartySliema]], believing it to be the democratic resistance to [[Tony BlairMalta]]) is a [[United Kingdom|Tony Blair'sBritish]] [[journalist]] and [[author]], noted for his [[traditionalist conservatism]] ([[paleoconservatism]]). A reporter for the ''New Labour[[Daily Express]]''. Dissatisfied with the lack for most of direction of the Conservative Partyhis career, he left it the paper in 2003 2001 and now asserts that currently writes for the only way forward is to completely dismantle and rebuild the party. Politically, Hitchens supports social, moral and cultural conservatism, and classic liberalism, not dissimilar to those of ''[[AmericanThe Mail on Sunday]] [[paleoconservative]]s''.

He has been a journalist for over 25 years== Early life ==Peter Hitchens was educated at [[The Leys School]], much the Oxford College of that time writing for Further Education, and the [[Daily ExpressUniversity of York]]. He married Eve Ross in 1983; they have three children. Although raised as an [[Anglicanism|Anglican]], which he left Hitchens learned soon after it was taken over by '''Richard Desmond'''his marriage that his mother, who had generated his wealth as a publisher of committed [[pornography|pornographicsuicide]] magazines. Hitchens when he was morally opposed to thisin his twenties, and moved to the was of partly [[Daily MailJew]]ish ancestry<ref name="talking">{{cite news |Daily Maillast = Barber | first = Lynn | title = Look who'stalking | work = [[The Observer]] sister publication, The Mail On Sunday| url = http://books. He has also worked as a political reporterguardian.co.uk/departments/politicsphilosophyandsociety/story/0, a diplomatic and defence specialist, and as 683900,00.html| date=2002-04-12}}</ref>. Hitchens is a foreign correspondent in both confirmed and communicant member of the [[MoscowChurch of England]] and . His older brother is [[Washington, D.C.Christopher Hitchens]] , also a prominent journalist.

==Political and moral stanceCareer in journalism==He has been described by Hitchens worked for the [[left-wing]] [[The Guardian|Guardian]] newspaper as: "The Mail on Sunday's fulminator-in-chief" and his columns as "molten '[[Old TestamentDaily Express]] fury shot through with visceral wit."<ref>'''Silverbetween 1977 and late 2000, James''' ''Look forward initially as a reporter specialising successively in anger'' [http://www.valhayes.com/Look_forward_in_anger.html The Guardianeducation, November 14 2005] mirrored; accessed July 19 2007</ref> Hitchens is uncompromising with his moral industrial and political stancelabour affairs, describing Britain before his appointment as a land of "burglaries, muggings, swearing, pools of vomit, deputy [[Multiple-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus|MRSApolitical editor]], rave parties and traveller encampments"; . Leaving [[Social housing|council estatesWestminster]] as "surrounded by the tattooed, with their pit bulls to cover defence and serial partnersdiplomatic affairs, crack dens, joy-riders, open-all-hours pubs," and the police as "wooden, officious twerps in dayglo jackets" who have sided with the lawless and given up he reported on crime. Of single mothers, he wrote: "It cannot be long before Britain has its first 24-year-old granny. When you abolish husbands and fathers that is what you get. As the rules of civilised life are swept away decay and the only people interested in getting married are lesbian clergywomen, there will soon be thousands of them." Hitchens lays the blame squarely at the door ultimate collapse of the [[liberalCommunist regime]] left-wing: "Like s in several governments before it, Labour has actively encouraged promiscuity by undermining marriage, promoting 'alternative lifestyles' and preaching immorality in schools - and, of course, by continuing to subsidise the results." He has also criticised [[immigrationWarsaw Pact]]countries, which is "limitless" and "unmonitored"; [[Tony Blair|Tony Blair's]] ''New Labour'' - "culminating in a horrible rabble of fakes, wreckers and frauds" who are "dismantling Britain stint as a free country"; the Conservative Party - "the Useless party"; the [[EUMoscow]] - "horrible", "a monster", "anti-British"; and liberal left-wing intellectuals - "hell-bent on turning correspondent during the UK into a meaningless, history-free conclusion of the Communist era in 1990 and cultureless wilderness"1991.<ref>''Ibid.''</ref>

His outspoken criticism has predictably made him unpopular with many politicians After an interval as well as the left-wing press: [[Gerry Adams]]a roving foreign reporter, leader of he became the [[IRA|IRA''Express's]] political wing, '' [[Sinn Fein]]Washington, called for him to be "decommissioned"; Tony Blair, while [[Prime MinisterD.C.|Washington]]correspondent, told him returning to "sit down and stop being bad" for daring London in 1995 to ask him become a difficult question; commentator and Conservative Party leader [[David Cameron]] refused to allow him an interview, eventually, a rebuff Hitchens took regular columnist. He continued as a compliment. Hitchensconservative voice despite the paper' book "The Abolition of Britain" has been described as "s general move to the most sustained, internally logical Left and powerful attack on its decision in 1997 to support the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] under [[Tony Blair and all his works"]].<ref>''Peter Hitchens' biog'' [http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2006/02/peter_hitchens_.html The Mail on Sunday, 28 February 2006] Accessed July 19 2007</ref>

He has made a detailed study of In 2001, when the [[United Kingdom|UK's]] 'Express'' was bought by [[crimeRichard Desmond]] problem and the negative changes in policing and the police force, leading to his book "The Abolition a publisher of Liberty". He is strongly critical of the use of drugs to control the behaviour of children, and has vigorously questioned the existence of the disorder [[Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorderpornography|ADHDpornographic]]. He has argued that parents who want single magazines, Hitchens joined ''[[vaccinationThe Mail on Sunday]]s for their children rather than the controversial ''; his strong [[Combination vaccine|tripleanti-pornography]] [[Measlesviews had, Mumpshe argued, Rubella vaccine controversy|MMR]] should be given them on the [[National Health Service|NHS]], and has challenged Tony Blair and Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]] to say openly if their own young sons have been given the MMR they are forcing on othersmade his previous affiliation untenable.<ref>''If MMR is safe, why persecute its critics?'' [{{cite web | title=BBC News Online report: "Veteran columnist quits Express" | url=http://hitchensblognews.mailonsundaybbc.co.uk/20071/07hi/ifuk/1061015.stm | date=2000-mmr12-is09 | accessdate= 2006-safe11-.html The Mail on Sunday, 10 July 2007] Accessed July 19 200702}}</ref> He currently writes a ''Mail on Sunday'' column, in addition to occasional reportage, including from China, Cuba, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Norway, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, and the USA. He has opposed also written for "[[The Oxford Forum]]", a termly magazine distributed to members of the introduction University of identity cards and attacked what he believes is the Labour governmentOxford, 's assault '[[The Spectator]]'', a conservative British magazine, and on ancient English liberties.<ref>occasions for ''Big Brother Watches Britain[[The Guardian]]'' and the '' [http://www[New Statesman]]'', despite these publications being broadly left-wing.amconmag.com/2006/2006_05_08/article.html The American Conservative, May 8 2006] Accessed July 19 2007</ref>

Hitchens is featured in the British broadcast media, often sparring with his opponents, though he has also authored [[Documentary film|documentaries]] on [[Channel 4]] and [[BBC Four]]. In the past, he co-presented a programme on [[Talk Radio UK|Talk Radio]] with Labour pundits including [[Derek Draper]] and [[Austin Mitchell]]. He describes says he was offered the chance to present the programme on his own by the station's boss, [[intelligent designKelvin MacKenzie]] , but preferred, and suggested, an adversarial programme with a left-wing co-presenter, believing that this was the best way to achieve broadcast fairness and balance.<ref>Peter Hitchens [http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2000/apr/03/bbc.mondaymediasection1 "Hear me roar",] ''The Guardian'', 3 April 2000. Retrieved on 17 March 2008.</ref> ==Personal political history==Hitchens studied politics at [[University of York|York University]] from 1970 to 1973. He dismisses as untrue a story that he arrived late at a lecture with the excuse that he had been "too busy starting the revolution", on the grounds that he seldom attended any lectures at all.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} He was then a [[Trotskyism|Trotskyist]] who was a member of the [[Socialist Workers Party (Britain)#Labour Worker and renaming to International Socialists|International Socialists]] from 1969 to 1975, and joined the British [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] in 1977, campaigning for [[Ken Livingstone]]'s parliamentary candidature for Hampstead in the [[United Kingdom general election, 1979|1979 general election]] "with some reluctance". Hitchens left the Labour Party in 1983 when he became a political reporter at the ''Daily Express'' and thought it "no longer appropriate to carry a party card".<ref name="anger">{{cite news | last = Silver | first = James | title = Look forward in anger | work = [[The Guardian]] | url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2005/nov/14/mailonsunday.mondaymediasection | date=2005-11-14}}</ref>  He joined the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party ]] in 1997, but concluded that the Party had no idea what it was facing and would never be able to challenge New Labour, and subsequently left in 2003. Hitchens challenged [[Michael Portillo]] for the Conservative Party nomination in the [[Kensington and Chelsea (UK Parliament constituency)|Kensington and Chelsea]] seat in 1999. Some critics suggest that his failure to secure the nomination explains much of his antipathy towards the Conservative Party, a claim Hitchens rejects on the basis of his having had no serious expectation of being valuable chosen: He maintains that he put himself forward only to criticise Portillo and his plan to 'modernise' the Party. By now often referred to as 'Bonkers' by critics and opponents, he rejects the nickname: "I don't like being called 'bonkers' and I think to some extent it demeans people who use phrases like that. But I take comfort from the fact that most totalitarian regimes tend to classify their opponents as mentally disordered."<ref name="anger"/> He is now politically independent, and believes that no party he could support will be created until the Conservative Party disintegrates. He also dismisses the [[United Kingdom Independence Party]] (UKIP) as "amateurish" with "a sceptical current blazer-and-cravat feel to it which limits its appeal to the same sort of areas where the Tory Party still stumbles about in its prolonged death throes, the Southern English middle classes."<ref>Peter Hitchens [http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2007/02/tories_ukip_and.html "Tories, UKIP, and other debating matters",] ''Daily Mail'' blog, posted 20 February 2007. Retrieved on 7 January 2008.</ref> ==Core beliefs==Hitchens' political views are not easily classified according to conventional categories, and he rejects the standard divisions between [[political left|Left]] and [[political right|Right]], maintaining that old divisions - over state control of the economy - are obsolete and that the most significant divisions nowadays concern cultural and moral issues, and the importance of national sovereignty. Some of his views resemble the [[paleoconservatism|paleoconservative]] tradition in the [[United States]]. Unlike the conventional right, Hitchens is critical of [[Darwinismneoconservatism]], and for this reason was opposed to the [[Kosovo]] and [[war in Iraq|DarwinistIraq wars]] orthodoxy . He argues that a dogmatic allegiance to unfettered [[free-market liberalism]] is no substitute for [[Christian]] morality, and intolerancethat the [[free market]], although pursued dogmatically, can often damage institutions which [[conservative]]s should value. He points out that state ownership and control are not invariably bad, giving the [[Royal Navy]] as an example of an excellent state-owned and controlled institution. He also supports railway renationalisation, and mocks Tories for their belief that road transport, heavily state subsidised, is in some way more conservative than railways. He has said that he wishes the motor car had never been invented because of the damage it has done to society. He has frequently criticised [[Thatcherism]] for ignoring the value of institutions and traditions, and has said the left are not entirely wrong when they accuse the Thatcher government of having damaged British society.  In propounding his [[social conservative]] views, Hitchens frequently criticises [[political correctness]], which he considers to be a freemanifestation of [[Cultural Marxism]]. He says it is important to acknowledge that the Left has been correct in its long opposition to [[racism]] and describes the use of the word "[[nigger]]" as immoral and obscene. He argues, however, in opposition to the Left, that genuine good manners, tolerance and decency are impossible, in the long term, without the foundation of traditional morality and religious faith. But he argues that opponents of political correctness will fail unless they accept that it has some good elements and that it is attractive to many because of its promotion of simple good manners. ===On liberty, security, and crime===Hitchens advocates a society governed by [[conscience]] and the rule of law, which he sees as the best guarantee of [[liberty]]. He believes that [[capital punishment]] is a key element of a strong justice system. He warns that the decline of [[conscience]] and morality will inevitably lead to a strong state. He is especially critical of the use of "[[security]]" as a pretext for diluting and eroding [[individual liberty]]. He argues that increased "security" destroys freedom without necessarily increasing safety, and says that there is no contradiction between maintaining liberty and protecting the realm. Hitchens is critical of moves towards [[authoritarian]] government and the erosion of [[civil liberties]], whether they come from the Right or the Left of the political spectrum. Accordingly, he has been highly critical of the British government's desire for [[British national identity card|identity cards]], its attempts to abolish [[jury trial]], to centralise the police, and its creation of a national law enforcement body in the form of the [[Serious Organised Crime Agency]] (SOCA). He describes these things as facets of governmental desire for permanent, irreversible constitutional revolution, and an "attack on English liberty" in general. In his newspaper columns, Hitchens referred to [[David Blunkett]], British [[Home Office|Home Secretary]] between 2001 and 2004, as "Minister of the Interior", on the grounds that the title, reminiscent of [[police state]]s, better reflected Blunkett's policies than the traditional British title of "Home Secretary".  Hitchens is opposed to the relaxation of laws against the possession of [[illegal drug trade|illegal]] [[recreational drug use|recreational drugs]]. He argues that the law's active disapproval of drug taking is an essential counterweight to the "pro-standing drug [[propaganda]]" of [[popular culture]]. He has said that attempts to combat drug use by restricting supply and persecuting dealers are futile, if possession and use are not punished as well. He answers claims that the "[[War on Drugs]]" has failed by suggesting that there has been no serious war on drugs for many years. Hitchens has said that the approach, known as "harm reduction", is defeatist and counter-productive. He was among the earliest commentators to argue that [[cannabis]] was a major mental health danger to some users. ===On foreign policy===Hitchens opposed the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|Iraq War]] on the grounds that it was not in the interests of either Britain or of the United States, but he does not associate himself with [[anti-war]] campaigns, and he remains a strong supporter of the [[Israel|State of Israel]]. He is critical of [[neoconservatism]], which he considers to be [[globalism|globalist]], destructively [[interventionism|interventionist]] and [[utopian]], and adopts a view of foreign policy similar to the American [[paleoconservatism]] movement.  Hitchens condemned the 1998 [[Belfast Agreement]] as a surrender to the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|Provisional IRA]] and a violation of the rule of law. He believes that the best approach to solving [[Northern Ireland]]'s problems would have been the full integration of Northern Ireland into the United Kingdom, arguing that creating a Northern Irish Parliament at [[Parliament of Northern Ireland|Stormont]] was mistaken because it prevented the integration of the six counties of Northern Ireland into the [[United Kingdom]]. He believes that the achievements of direct rule over Northern Ireland, in removing discrimination against [[Roman Catholic]]s, have been greatly underestimated. He maintains that Northern Ireland is now only a provisional part of the UK, since, under the 1998 Belfast Agreement, it can be transferred to Irish [[sovereignty]] by a single irreversible referendum. On Europe, Hitchens argues that the [[United Kingdom]] should negotiate an amicable departure from the [[European Union]], whose laws and traditions he regards as incompatible with the laws and liberties of England, and with the national independence of the United Kingdom as a whole. He also believes that the interests of the European Union are often different from &mdash; and in many cases hostile to &mdash; those of the United Kingdom. Hitchens also opposes [[devolution]] in [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]], regarding these changes not as steps towards real independence, but as part of a European Union-inspired strategy to dissolve Great Britain into statelets and regions, a preliminary to its complete absorption in a European state. For the same reason, he opposes plans to divide England itself into regions. ===On morality, culture, and religion===Hitchens is an advocate of absolute moral virtues founded on religious (particularly Christian) faith. He argues that these have been undermined and eroded by [[Social liberalism|social liberals]] and by those he calls [[Cultural Marxism|cultural Marxists]] since the 1960s, a theoryhe explores in the book ''[[The Abolition of Britain]]''.  In support of this [[thesis]], Hitchens cites, among other things, what he describes as serial attacks on the institution of marriage by the State. He identifies these attacks as the introduction of [[no-fault divorce]], the removal or redistribution of what were formerly the exclusive privileges of marriage, and its resultant loss of status and regard, the abolition of the Christian Sunday and the growing economic and cultural pressure on wives and mothers to go out to work. He believes that without faith and without strong families, the development of conscience is stunted, private life is diminished, and the power of the state increased. He believes that many of the measures which created the "[[permissive society]]" were mistaken or excessive and need to be re-examined, and he believes that [[homosexuality|homosexual]] relationships should not be granted [[same-sex marriage|legal parity]] with [[heterosexual]] marriage. However, Hitchens maintains that he has nothing against homosexuals, and rejects the term "[[homophobia]]" in this context as an [[epithet]] which he argues is increasingly used to stifle legitimate debate on social policy. Hitchens opposes the compulsory [[metrication in the United Kingdom|metrication]] of Britain's weights and measures, which he believes are both beautiful and practical, rooted in experience and an important part of the English language. He is an [[Anglicanism|Anglican]], and he defends the use of the [[Church of England]]'s 1662 ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'' and the Authorised or [[King James Version of the Bible]], not only because he believes they are beautiful and memorable, but also because he feels that they are the indispensable foundations of Anglicanism's "powerful combination of scripture, tradition and reason". He is also sceptical of human-caused [[global warming]]. ===On education===Hitchens condemns [[comprehensive school|comprehensive education]], the [[Plowden Report|Plowden]] reforms of primary schooling, and modern child-centred teaching methods, seeing them as [[egalitarianism|egalitarian]] political projects with no educational justification and many educational disadvantages. Hitchens asserts that comprehensive education has brought about a general dilution of education and of examination standards. He believes this has done grave damage to the national culture. He also fears that lowered standards in technical, scientific and mathematical education, combined with poor teaching of English and the resulting decline of literacy, threaten to leave Britain lagging behind emerging giants like [[China]] and [[India]]. As a means of improving standards in the UK, Hitchens supports a return to the [[grammar school]] system which has been gradually dismantled by successive British governments since the issuing of [[Circular 10/65]] by [[Anthony Crosland]] in 1965.  As a supporter of [[orthodoxy|orthodox]] Christian morality, Hitchens opposes [[sex education]] in schools. He points out that the general introduction of sex education in schools has been accompanied by an increase in sexual activity among the young, with a resultant rise in [[pregnancy|pregnancies]], [[abortion]]s and instances of [[sexually transmitted disease]]s, the very things that sex education is intended to discourage. He suggests that the two may be connected, and that in any case the argument that sex education protects the young against early pregnancy or disease is false. He regards the well known children's television programme [[Teletubbies]] as another sign of the degradation of modern Britain, claiming that "our obsession with television is highlighted by the curious creatures having TV sets built into their stomachs". <ref>Peter Hitchens, The Abolition of Britain</ref> ===On evolution===Hitchens sees [[evolution]] as a speculative and [[Falsifiability|unfalsifiable]] theory which cannot be observed in progress. He reasons that if it took place in the past it did so before there were any human witnesses, and that if it is taking place now it is operating so slowly that our civilization is likely to perish long before it has been able to record it in action. He maintains that enthusiasts for [[Darwinism]] often mistake adaptation of existing species for a far more ambitious process required for evolution. He therefore contends that the theory of evolution is wholly unlike other scientific [[theory|theories]] with which it is often compared. He regularly likens belief in evolution to belief in a [[religion]], on the basis that religious claims also cannot be tested and similarly have their origins not in certain knowledge but in the preferences of the believer. In support of his scepticism he cites Karl Popper's remarks on the scientific status of evolution, in which Popper confesses to being disturbed by the apparent tautology of the theory of natural selection. (See, among other locations, "Natural Selection and the Emergence of Mind" in Dialectica, vol 32 No 3-4, 1978 pp 339-355) Hitchens argues that neither he nor anyone else knows how life began or how the realm of nature assumed its present form. He sayshe is willing to accept the possibility that evolutionists may be right, and asks that they will extend the same courtesy to [[theism|theists]]. He agrees with evolutionary biologist [[Richard Dawkins]] that a belief in the truth of evolutionary theory, properly understood, is incompatible with a theist position. He maintains that the question remains a matter of choice, and that intelligent people should be free to decide for themselves which explanation they prefer. He does not criticise evolutionary theory, believing it to be an ingenious possible explanation of the origins of species, but one which he himself prefers not to embrace.<ref>Peter Hitchens, ''[http: //hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2006/12/intelligence_an.html Intelligence and design]'', Mail online, 2006-12-05.</ref> Like many other sceptics on this subject, Hitchens does not subscribe to a literal interpretation of the [[Book of Genesis]]. In a review of ''[[God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything]]'' by his brother, he stated that, "many decades have passed since I am not fancied the story of [[Adam and Eve]] was literal truth, if I ever did."<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/newscomment.html?in_article_id=459427&in_page_id=1787&in_a_source Hitchens vs Hitchens | the Daily Mail<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ===On Tony Blair and the Labour Party===Hitchens has described [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]]'s constitutional reforms as a scientist"slow-motion [[coup d'état]]".He is critical of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] for what he describes as "attacks on the constitution", and critical of the previous Conservative government for its perceived role in facilitating these changes through "rash and unconstitutional acts".The huge expansion of the role of "special advisers", which Hitchens describes as "political commissars" in the civil service, was based, in his view, on similar but smaller-scale appointments by the Conservatives. My own  Hitchens contends that the most profound changes brought about by the Labour Party have been designed to concentrate power in the hands of the [[executive (government)|executive]], to debauch [[civil service]] neutrality, and to turn Parliament into a tool of [[Downing Street]]. In Hitchens' view , the most significant single action in this programme was the passing of Orders in Council allowing [[Alastair Campbell]] and [[Jonathan Powell (chief of staff to Tony Blair)|Jonathan Powell]], both political appointees, to give orders to civil servants. It signalled, in his view, a general attempt to politicise Whitehall which has continued ever since. He claims to have detected a parallel effort to appropriate some of the trappings of monarchy and to diminish the Crown's significance and standing, which he sees as embryonic [[presidential system|presidentialism]]. Hitchens has also often caricatured Blair as "Princess Tony". This is a reference to Blair's use of the expression "The People's Princess" to euologise [[Diana, Princess of Wales]], after her death. Hitchens is also heavily critical of Blair's successor [[Gordon Brown]], describing him as a "boring, dismal [[Marxism|Marxoid]]."<ref>Peter Hitchens [http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2007/03/ "Is this war?",] ''Daily Mail'' blog, posted 27 March 2007. Retrieved on 22 August 2008.</ref>, though he has criticised what he sees as a "boring" attempt to destroy Brown by the controversymedia since he became Prime Minister<ref> Peter Hitchens [http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.can uk/2008/08/80m-britons-and.html ''Mail on Sunday'' column, 31 August 2008].</ref> ===On the Conservative Party===Hitchens is dismissive of the modern [[Conservative Party (UK)|British Conservative Party]], frequently deriding the party's leadership as the "useless Tories". He has often been at odds with fellow conservatives, and argues that the Conservative Party has a consistent record of ill-considered parliamentary acts and policies that cannot be summarised dismissed as accidents or mistakes. He cites as examples: the [[Local Government Act 1972|reorganisation of local government in 1974]]; the words [[Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984|Police and Criminal Evidence Act of 1984]]; the introduction of the [[General Certificate of Secondary Education|GCSE]] exam; the [[Criminal Justice Act 1991|Criminal Justice Act of 1991]]; the agreement to the [[Single European Act]]; and the signing of the [[Treaty of Maastricht|Maastricht Treaty]] ; the severe reduction in defence spending at the end of the Cold War; the [[privatisation of British Rail|privatisation]] of the [[Rail transport in the United Kingdom|UK'I have no idea who s railways]]; the Iraq War and the abandonment of re-introducing [[Grammar schools in the United Kingdom|grammar schools]],<ref>Peter Hitchens [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/columnists/mailonsunday.html?in_page_id=1791&in_article_id=456453&in_author_id=224 "What Tory could back shameless Dave now?",] ''Mail on Sunday'', 20 May 2007. Retrieved on 20 May 2007.</ref> though Hitchens prefers the German system of selection<ref>Peter Hitchens [http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2007/01/ripostes_retort.html "Ripostes, retorts and responses",] ''Daily Mail'' blog, posted 17 January 2007. Retrieved on 20 May 2007.</ref> to the [[Eleven plus exam|Eleven Plus examination]]. He is rightalso critical of what he considers to be a continuing [[idolatry]] of [[Margaret Thatcher]], who, in his view, weakened Britain's institutions and nor failed to address moral or cultural questions. Hitchens has expressed contempt for [[David Cameron]], the current Conservative Party leader, regarding him as a member of the "[[liberal elite]]" with little conception of the challenges facing modern Britain. He argues that the Conservatives have they, indiscriminately, adopted the policies of their opponents over the last century out of an unprincipled desire for office at all costs. In March 2007 Hitchens wrote and presented a television programme for [[Channel 4]], ''Toff at the Top'', in which he argued this view.Hitchens views Cameron's social, educational, and foreign policies as being indistinguishable from Blair's. To further emphasize this point, he often refers to the two men in tandem as "Mr. Clair and Mr. Blameron". Cameron, having declined previous interview requests from Hitchens, also declined to be interviewed for this programme, and has since described Hitchens (at a public meeting) as a "maniac". [[James Walton (journalist)|James Walton]] in a ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'' review was largely unimpressed by Hitchens' television programme: "Hitchens...stuck firmly to the Tory equivalent of a Bennite line: that winning power matters less than ideological correctness. His analysis was far more thought-provoking than the straightforward rant I expected. Even so, it did create the sense that (like [[Tony Benn|Benn]] before him) Hitchens is fighting a battle which has already been comprehensively lost".<ref>James Walton [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/03/22/nosplit4/bvtv22last.xml "Last night on television",] ''Intelligence Daily Telegraph'', 27 March 2007. Retrieved on 17 March 2008.</ref> Hitchens has called for the establishment of a new [[political party]] in the UK, representing the traditionalist conservative strand of opinion that he espouses, and designwhich would, in his own words, be "neither bigoted nor politically correct". He believes that such a movement cannot come into being until the Conservative Party collapses, arguing that many millions of Britons habitually vote for this and other political parties out of tribal loyalty, from which they cannot be detached by reasoned argument. ==Controversy==In 2006, while a guest of the TV programme 'This Week' presented by [[Andrew Neil]], and featuring regular guests [[Michael Portillo]] and [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] MP [[Diane Abbott]], the latter accused Hitchens of "being greatly admired by the [[British National Party|BNP]]". Hitchens, who has condemned the BNP on numerous occasions,<ref>[http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2006/1204/intelligence_anlabour_panics_a.html For example, see this entry in Hitchens's online blog] in which Hitchens, as well as describing the BNP as 'nasty', 'repugnant', 'disreputable' and 'sinister', goes into some detail in outlining his overall attitude towards them.</ref> responded by dismissively asking "Where did that garbage come from?".<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_week/5412812.stm BBC article detailing Hitchens's appearance] (Hitchens presented a piece on [[David Cameron]] before being interviewed by Portillo, Neil, and Abbott in the studio afterwards)</ref> ==Publications==Hitchens is the author of ''[[The Mail Abolition of Britain]]'' (1999, ISBN 0-7043-8140-0) and ''A Brief History of Crime'' (2003, ISBN 1-84354-148-3), both critical of changes in British society since the 1960s. A compendium of his ''Daily Express'' columns was published under the title ''[[Monday Morning Blues]]'' in 2000. An updated edition of ''A Brief History of Crime'', re-titled ''The Abolition of Liberty'' (ISBN 1-84354-149-1) and featuring a new chapter on Sunday[[British national identity card|identity cards]], December 5 was published in April 2004. ==Relationship with elder brother Christopher==Hitchens' older brother, [[Christopher Hitchens]], is also a prominent journalist, author and critic. Christopher is an [[atheist]] whose views are to the left of Peter's. Christopher is a strong defender of the intervention in Iraq, asserting that it is an inherently moral endeavor. Peter has described it as a 'left-wing war' motivated by liberal idealism, whereas Christopher views it as a radical enterprise, and not a conservative [[imperialism|imperialist]] one. Christopher has said that "The real difference between Peter and myself is the belief in the [[supernatural]]. I'm a [[materialism|materialist]] and he attributes his presence here to a divine plan. I can't stand anyone who believes in [[God]], who invokes the divinity or who is a person of faith."<ref name="meet">{{cite news | last = Katz | first = Ian | title = When Christopher met Peter | work = [[The Guardian]] | url = http://books.guardian.co.uk/hay2005/story/0,15880,1495897,00.html | date=2005-05-31}}</ref> The brothers were estranged for several years, following a 2001 article in ''[[The Spectator]]'' in which Peter alleged his brother had said he "didn't care if the [[Red Army]] watered its horses at [[Hendon]]", which Christopher said was used "in the reactionary press in the US" to imply that he was a "[[fellow traveller|communist sympathiser]]".<ref name="meet"/> However, after the birth of Peter's third child, Christopher expressed a willingness to reconcile and to meet his new nephew. Shortly thereafter the brothers gave several interviews together in which they said their personal disagreements had been resolved, the most notable being their meeting at the [[Hay Festival]] in 2005<ref name="meet"/>. Christopher clarified this in an interview the following year: "There is no longer any official froideur", he says of their relationship. "But there's no official &mdash; what's the word? &mdash; chaleur, either."<ref name="warofwords">{{cite news | last = Katz | first = Ian | title = War of Words | work = [[The Guardian]] | url = http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1933179,00.html | date=2006-10-28}}</ref> Peter's recent review of Christopher's book ''[[God Is Not Great]]: How Religion Poisons Everything'' led to public argument between the brothers but not to any renewed estrangement. <ref>James Macintyre, [http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article2640860.ece The Hitchens brothers: Anatomy of a row], ''The Independent'', [[11 June]], 2007, accessed [[11 June]] Accessed July 19 2007</ref>On [[21 June]], 2007, both Hitchens brothers appeared on [[BBC]] TV's ''[[Question Time (TV series)|Question Time]]'', where they clashed over the intervention in [[Afghanistan]] (and other issues), with Christopher remarking that he was "ashamed to hear a member of the Hitchens family sounding like [[Harold Pinter]] on a bad day". In April 2008 the brothers held a long debate before a large audience at the [[Fountain Street Church]] in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]]. The debate was divided into two parts, dealing with the invasion of Iraq and the existence of God, respectively.<ref>[http://www.gvsu.edu/hauenstein/index.cfm?id=3425B4C3-DA0C-48A1-FDE23503A04A3318] Hitchens v. Hitchens: Faith, Politics & War</ref> Peter Hitchens said both before and during the debate that it would be the last time he would participate in such an event with his brother.

==Further reading==* [http://www.valhayes.com/Look_forward_in_anger.html "Look forward in anger"] Guardian Interview, 14 November 2005;Referencing articles* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/474100.stm "Brothers at war over Britain"] Article on a debate about Britain's future with brother [[Christopher Hitchens]], [[15 October ]] [[1999]]. Includes some short, selected audio clips from the event. * [http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/print.asp?ID=146"Cool Britannia"] - [[4 November ]] [[2002 (Interviewed about ]]. Geoff Metcalf interviews Peter Hitchens on ''The Abolition of Britain'').* [http://www.taemag.com/issues/articleid.17392/article_detail.asp"Peter Hitchens on the European Union"] - December 2002. Karl Zinsmeister interviews Peter Hitchens at his home in Oxford.* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,265770,00.html"Raging Bulldog"] - Guardian interview, [[20 September ]] [[1999]].* [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1045954/PETER-HITCHENS-How-Left-censored-blindingly-obvious-truth-rape.html] - August 2008. Peter Hitchens writes about rape.</div> ==See also==* [[Conservatism]]* [[Paleoconservatism]]* [[Pro-life]]* [[Social conservatism]]

* [http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/columnists/mailonsunday.html?in_page_id=1791 Weekly column] in the ''The Mail on Sunday'' newspaper]* [http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk Peter Hitchens Blog]* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/search?tb=art&qt=%22Hitchens%2C+Peter%22 Articles]  ;Selected articles by Hitchens * [http://amconmag.com/2007/2007_06_04/cover.html "Iran: Past the Paranoia"] in the ''[[The American Conservative]]'' magazine, 4 June 2007* [http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/newscomment.html?in_article_id=459427&in_page_id=1787&in_page_id=1787&expand=true "Hitchens vs Hitchens"] reviewing [[Christopher Hitchens]]' book ''God Is Not Great'' in the s ''The Mail on Sunday'', 8 June 2007* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2089981,00.html "New Labour isn't rightwing at all - it's the left in power"blog] in ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper, 29 May 2007* [http://www.amconmag.com/2006/2006_12_04/article.html "The Great Tory Hope"] criticising [[David Cameron]] in the ''[[The American Conservative]]'' magazine, 4 December 2006* [http://www.amconmag.com/2006/2006_05_08/article.html "Big Brother Watches Britain"] in the ''[[The American Conservative]]'' magazine, 8 May 2006* [http://www.amconmag.com/2004_01_19/review.html "Uncritical Champion"] reviewing Jean-François Revel's book ''Anti-Americanism'' in the ''[[The American Conservative]]'' magazine, 19 January 2004* [http://www.amconmag.com/10_06_03/feature.html "Zionism: A Defense"] in the ''[[The American Conservative]]'' magazine, October 6 2003

*[http://www.arts.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2003/04/13/bohit13.xml&sSheet=/arts/2003/04/13/bomain.html "The victims of liberalism"] Review Reviews of Hitchens' book ''A Brief History of Crime'' in ''[[The Sunday Telegraph]]'' by Theodore Dalrymple April 13 2003.*[httpthe://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_200304/ai_n9222415 "An end to cant and defeatism"] Review of ''A Brief History of Crime'' in ''[[The Spectator]]'' by Neil Clark.*[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=%2Farts%2F2003%2F04%2F20%2Fbohit20.xml&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=123189 "The case of the disappearing policeman"] Review of ''A Brief History of Crime'' in ''[[Daily Telegraph|The Daily Telegraph]]'', by Joshua Rozenberg.*and [http://wwwbooks.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_25_52/ai_68163660/pg_1 "Goodbye to All That?"] Review of ''The Abolition of Britain'' by John O'Sullivan.;Audio*[http://news.bbcguardian.co.uk/mediareviews/audiopoliticsphilosophyandsociety/40886000/rm/_40886368_blair0,6121,935384,00.ram Debating Tony Blair's Criminal Justice Stance] 7 October 7 2005 on [[BBC]] Radio 4's ''Law in Action''*[http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2002/06/20020605_b_main.asp Debate on html The British Monarchy] June 6 2007, on [[National Public Radio]Observer]*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1770000/audio/_1773627_disco.ram Criticizing the treatment of Guantanamo Detainees] January 21 2002, in a short debate on [[BBC]] radio.*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/bh/1714079.stm Debating the format of a potential Oath of Allegiance for the UK] December 16 2001 ;TV Reviews*''Today ProgrammeReviews of ''Toff at the Top'' **[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_religion_20070419.ram Should religious people have a privileged position in society?] - 19 April 2007**[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_metric_20060223.ram Should Britain Convert its Road Signs to Metric?] - February 23 2006'' **[http://www.bbctelegraph.co.uk/radio4arts/today/audio/0820disco080206main.ram Is the Left Wing obsolete in British politicsjhtml?] - February 8 2006**[http:xml=/arts/www.bbc.co.uk2007/radio403/today22/listenagainnosplit4/ram/today5_violence_20050526bvtv22last.ram Were the Victorians as benign and civilised as we assume?xml The Daily Telegraph] - May 26 2005,**[http://wwwfindarticles.bbc.co.ukcom/radio4p/todayarticles/listenagainmi_qn4158/ramis_20070327/today3_british_20041215.ram What should people applying for British citizenship know about the UK?ai_n18759594 The Independent] - December 15 2004and **[http://wwwentertainment.bbctimesonline.co.uk/radio4/todaytol/listenagainarts_and_entertainment/ramtv_and_radio/today5_dalrym_20040818article1570888.ram ece The Way We Talk about IslamTimes] - August 18 2004.**[http://www.bbcchannel4.co.ukcom/radio4news/todayarticles/listenagaindispatches/ramcameron+toff+at+the+top/today5_id_20040426.ram Will ID Cards Mean an End to Our Liberty?328047 Description of ''Toff at the Top'' on the Channel 4 website] - 26 April 26 2004**[http://www.bbcchannel4.co.ukcom/radio4news/todaymicrosites/listenagainS/ramstealing_freedom/today4_paraskeva_20030825.ram The "Compensation Culture"Description of ''Stealing Freedom'' on the Channel 4 website] - August 25 2003 

*''Question Time'':*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_4090000/newsid_4097900/4097948.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm 21st June 2007 edition] :*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_6110000/newsid_6113200/nb_wm_6113240.stm 3rd November 2006 edition]:*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6450000/newsid_6457300/6457351.stm?bw=nb&mp=wm 15th March 2007 edition]*''Booknotes: The Abolition of Britain'' - Broadcast December 31 2000, Hitchens interviewed for the ''Booknotes'' series about ''The Abolition of Britain''.:*[http://booknotes.virage.com/vss-bin/vss_SR/cspan_booknotes/search/?template=search.tmpl&access=Private&ShowID=1594&_query4=Entire%20Program Watch Interview about the Interview''The Abolition of Britain'' for the Booknotes series] ''Pop-up window with embedded [[RealPlayer ]] plugin'';Sermons* [http://st-michaels.org.uk/Sermons%202005/Peter%20Hitchens%20-%20City%20New%20Year%20service.pdf Peter Hitchens sermon] at The Parish Church of [http://www.st-michaels.org.uk/index.htm St. Michael's] Cornhill in the City of London, January 2005.

[[Category:Authors|Hitchens, 1951 births]][[Category:Alumni of the University of York]][[Category:British journalists]][[Category:British conservatives]][[Category:Daily Mail journalists]][[Category:English bloggers]][[Category:English Anglicans]][[Category:English columnists]][[Category:Euroscepticism]][[Category:Former leftists]][[Category:Former Trotskyists]] [[Category:Living people]][[Category:Old Leysians]][[Category:Socialist Workers Party members (UK)]] [[es:PeterHitchens]]

;Sermon* [[Categoryhttp:Journalists]//st-michaels.org.uk/Sermons%202005/Peter%20Hitchens%20-%20City%20New%20Year%20service.pdf Peter Hitchens' address to City New Year Service, The Parish Church of St. Michael's Cornhill, London, January 2005]