I regarded Rod Liddle as a close, loyal and utterly brilliant friend for 42 years. We first met in 1984 as parliamentary research assistants working for members of Neil Kinnock’s shadow cabinet. Rod worked for Barry Jones, shadow secretary of state for Wales. I worked for Donald Dewar, shadow secretary of state for Scotland. Rod

I only met Rod Liddle a few times, though at The Spectator and the Sunday Times I worked alongside him and to a large degree in his shadow. He was irascible and lugubrious and…

I regarded Rod Liddle as a close, loyal and utterly brilliant friend for 42 years. We first met in 1984 as parliamentary research assistants working for members of Neil Kinnock’s…