After all, the consequences of England’s break with the Pope echo to this day in Northern Ireland.The Reformation, too, defined the present status of the Church of England. If only defenders of the sovereign’s role as Supreme Governor, which gives the Prime Minister of the day the right to appoint bishops, a power which Tony Blair has already deployed, would remind themselves that Henry VIII subjugated the church for no greater cause than to facilitate his divorce from Catherine of Aragon.The Tudor period was replete, too, with gripping events and the great staples of story telling, violence and sex. Robert Bolt’s play A Man for All Seasons on the trial and execution of Sir Thomas More, written in 1960, has long been a school text. And as I was reading Peter Ackroyd, I had Diarmaid MacCulloch’s Thomas Cranmer published in 1996, fresh in my mind.
The Reformation was one of the great turning points in English history, along with the Civil War 120 years later, the great Reform Act of 1832 and the two world wars of this century. WHY DO WE return so often to the Tudors? A new film, Elizabeth, is getting high praise from the critics.

The Chichester Festival Theatre is staging the premiere of Katherine Howard by William Nicholson. Peter Ackroyd’s superb Life of Sir Thomas More is one of the literary successes of 1998. And each of these productions has many distinguished predecessors. Before Cate Blanchett’s winsome but authoritative portrayal of the Virgin Queen in Elizabeth, there was Sarah Bernhardt (silently in 1912), Flora Robson, Bette Davis, Jean Simmons and Glenda Jackson. Since there is little opportunity for the Tories to influence the decision, they should keep an escape route open.There is much to be said, therefore, for tolerating any card-carrying MP or party member who says whatever they like on the issue.

This was underlined last week, at Blackpool, where Tony Blair successfully recreated the perception of strong “no backing down” leadership reminiscent of The Lady’s “not for turning” days.Both Mr Portillo and Tony Blair recognise that it was the apparent abandonment of Tory objectives, such as low taxation, which enabled Mr Blair to squat on the Tory political territory.Apart from Europe, where I believe Mr Portillo is wrong, his programmes are, however, liked on how to reconnect with the voters it lost last time. No one is necessarily listening to them anyway – unless William Hague is fool enough to tell them to shut up, in which case they will get the oxygen of media interest just for the sake of devilment.If these self-inflicted wounds do not heal by this time next year, the survival of the Conservative party as a serious political force may be in question.. The country is as far away from engaging with or connecting to the Tories now as it was on 1 May, 1997.Mr Portillo has at least understood the utter hatred and contempt in which the Tories are still held without forgetting why they held office for so long. He identifies a national sense of betrayal but recognises that the original objectives of the Thatcher mission are still supported by most voters. The real referendum will be held by Mr Blair when he is certain it will be won And won it will be. Not that I am happy at that, but Tories must recognise what will happen and not bank on what they hope will happen Mr Hague will then look ridiculous and isolated. But that is of no relevance to the Tory party at present, which is more concerned with fighting itself rather than fighting Labour.