Populism is one of those political words that conceals as much as it illuminates. While I’m sure there are academics who could give me some rigorous definition of it, like most political insults it is thrown about with relative abandon, and often signifies nothing more than dislike of this or that policy.
But one version of it I’ve found useful when writing about the Conservative party is its current habit – on issue after issue – of speaking loudly while carrying a very small stick.
