The Brendan O'Neill Show

Peter Hitchens: Britain’s obituarist

Sep 2, 2026
Peter Hitchens, the Mail on Sunday columnist and author, returns for a stark tour of Britain’s decline. He discusses why elections feel powerless, the failures of modern conservatism, lockdown’s impact on liberty, and immigration’s transformation of the country. They also examine political extremism, ignored warnings about crime and disorder, and the dangers of law without due process.
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INSIGHT

Hitchens Says Britain’s Revolution Is Complete

  • Peter Hitchens argues Britain’s cultural revolution has already transformed politics, morality, immigration, policing, and speech across party lines.
  • He says Labour actively advances this settlement, while Conservatives merely fail to reverse it.
INSIGHT

Why Hitchens Rejects The Label Of Defeatist

  • Hitchens distinguishes accepting defeat from wanting defeat, saying his warnings failed despite sustained personal effort.
  • He identifies Cameron’s takeover as the moment the traditional Conservative alternative collapsed.
ANECDOTE

Hitchens Became A Lone Voice During Lockdown

  • During the lockdown panic, Hitchens was accused of causing a stranger’s death for opposing restrictions.
  • Readers later thanked him because his dissent reassured people who feared they were alone or irrational.
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