The outgoing Father of the House of Commons has said the decision to call a Brexit referendum was “one of the biggest political errors in post-war Britain.”

Ken Clarke discussed his 49 year-run as an MP with Ivan Yates on the Hard Shoulder this evening.

Mr Clarke represented Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire from 1970 to 2019 – serving under six Tory prime ministers.

He spent over 20 years serving at Cabinet level for Margaret Thatcher, John Major and David Cameron before moving to the backbenches after the Brexit referendum.

He was one of 20 Tory MPs to lose the Conservative Party earlier this year for voting with the opposition on legislation blocking a no-deal Brexit.

Kenneth Clarke MP attends the funeral service of Margaret Thatcher, at St Paul's Cathedral, central London, 17-04-2013. Image: Christopher Furlong/PA Archive/PA Images

His pro-European stance has often put him at odds with the more Euro-sceptic factions of the party – and he told Ivan that the decision call a referendum on Europe has “blighted” David Cameron’s government in the eyes of history.

He described Mr Cameron as a “great guy and a natural leader” who “rose effortlessly in the party.

“He was a brilliant speaker,” he said.

“He could do all the things a prime minister had to do – and he was keen and all the rest of it.

“I am never really quite sure what David really believed in except for the enjoyable nature of the job. He wanted to do the job and he felt he was a natural leader.

“Of course, he blighted his Government by this absurd decision to promise a referendum on Europe which, with hindsight, now we can see was one of the biggest political errors in post-war Britain.”

Kenneth Clarke at the UK Mansion House after delivering the Chancellor's annual speech at the Lord Mayor's Dinner to the Bankers and Merchants in the City of London, 12-06-1996. Image: Fiona Hanson/PA Wire/PA Images

He said the two Irish politicians he was closest to over the years were Bertie Ahern and Ruairi Quinn.

“The one I dealt with most and got on very well with was Bertie Ahern,” he said. “He was a very shrewd, delightful, laid back and modest guy.”

“There were others too. Rory Quinn was a great mate of mine when we were both employment ministers together.

“That will surprise you because Rory’s politics are not the same as mine. He is one of my rather more to-the-left friends.

“They were the two Irish politicians I most enjoyed working with and getting to know.”

He said he would gladly accept a nomination to the House of Lords – if Boris Johnson is happy enough to put recent events behind him and offer a nomination.

“I don’t think Boris will nominate me for the Lords in a hurry, but he might,” he said. “I have always got along well personally with Boris. All my friends say he should.”

“I am still a political addict. All my old friends are there you see, and they all pretend they are still MPs, but they don’t have any constituents anymore.

“It is a very good debating chamber.”

You can listen back to the full interview here: