Lambasted as a right-winger, turncoat and beyond the pale, how does Melanie Phillips describe herself?
Liberal and progressive, she tells James Silver Her foes ” and there are many ” caricature her as a right-wing harpy with unpalatable opinions, but Melanie Phillips is having none of it. Indeed, the Daily Mail columnist and The Moral Maze panellist, who is invariably cast as the voice of “the right” on television and radio debates, considers herself a liberal. “I don”t care for labels,” she bristles, “but I am a progressive. Despite the way I am depicted, I am certainly not “of the right”.” With six million Daily Mail readers and a take-no-prisoners writing style, Phillips has become one of Britain”s most influential and provocative columnists, leading some well-placed observers to say that she is viewed at the Mail as a strident voice to “replace” the popular late columnist Lynda Lee-Potter, whose memorial service was held last week. Like Lee- Potter, Phillips is said to be a favourite of Paul Dacre, the Daily Mail chief. When asked about this, she will only say: “They are giant shoes
