Author: Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192691120
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
Author: Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192691120
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
Inside Story: Politics, Intrigue and Treachery from Thatcher to Brexit
Author: Philip WebsterPublisher: HarperCollins UK
ISBN: 000820134X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 437
Book Description
From one of the greatest political journalists of recent times, an insider’s account of four decades of covering the British political scene, packed with tales of the biggest political happenings of the last half century.
Fighters and Quitters
Author: Theo BarclayPublisher: Biteback Publishing
ISBN: 1785904906
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 250
Book Description
They say the first rule of politics is never to resign. It seems, however, that Britain's leaders have all too often failed – or refused – to heed this sage advice. Fighters and Quitters charts the scandals, controversies and cock-ups that have obliterated dreams of high office, from the ex-minister who faked his death in the 1970s, to Geoffrey Howe's plot to topple Margaret Thatcher, to the many casualties of the Brexit saga. Then there are the sex and spy scandals that heralded doom and, of course, the infamous Profumo Affair. Who jumped and who was pushed? Who battled to keep their job and who collapsed at the first hint of pressure? Who returned, Lazarus-like, for a second act? From humiliating surrenders to principled departures, Fighters and Quitters lifts the lid on the lives of the politicians who fell on their own swords.
Speaking Out
Author: Ed BallsPublisher: Arrow
ISBN: 9781784755935
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 400
Book Description
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A life in and out of politics - from the despatch box to the stage on Strictly - by one of Britain's most influential and well-loved political figures. 'Full of anecdote, insight and authenticity' Evening Standard BOOKS OF THE YEAR 'Witty, reflective and engaging' Nick Robinson 'Honest and revealing' Michael Palin 'Fascinating, heartfelt' Kay Burley 'Insightful, funny, unexpectedly moving' Jonathan Freedland On the night of 7 May 2015, Ed Balls thought there was a chance he would wake up the next morning as the new Chancellor of the Exchequer. Instead, he woke up without a job. Twenty-one years earlier he had left a promising career in journalism to work for Labour in opposition. Moving through the ranks, from adviser to Cabinet minister and on to Shadow Chancellor, he occupied a central and influential position in and out of power during a pivotal period in British history. Speaking Out is a record of a life in politics, but also much more. It is about how power can be used for good, and the lessons to be learned when things go wrong. It is about the mechanics of Westminster, and of government. It is about facing up to your fears and misgivings, and tackling your limitations - on stages public and private. It is about the mistakes made, change delivered and personalities encountered over the course of two decades at the frontline of British politics. It is a unique window into a rarely seen world. Most importantly, it sets out what politics is about, and why it matters.
What Does Jeremy Think?
Author: Suzanne HeywoodPublisher: William Collins
ISBN: 9780008353162
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
The Sunday Times Bestseller 'Seasoned Whitehall watchers often remark: "It wouldn't have been like this if Jeremy Heywood were still around." ... How could it be that the effectiveness of the once-revered civil service had become reliant on a single man?' Guardian 'This book should be read in a similar spirit to Mantel's masterpieces - as a portrait of an exceptional man who was always at the centre of events ... Invaluable' Guardian As a young civil servant, Jeremy Heywood's insightful questioning of the status quo pushed him to the centre of political power in this country for more than 25 years. He directly served four Prime Ministers in various roles including as the first and only Permanent Secretary of 10 Downing Street, the Cabinet Secretary and the Head of the Home Civil Service. He was at the centre of every crisis from the early 1990s until 2018 and most of the key meetings. Invariably, when faced with a new policy initiative a Prime Minister's first response would be: 'but what does Jeremy think?' Jeremy worked up until his death, retiring just a few days before he died from lung cancer in October 2018. This book began as a joint effort between Jeremy and his wife Suzanne - working together in the last months of his life. Suzanne completed the work after his death. In a time of political uncertainty, this extraordinary book offers an unforgettable and unprecedented insight into political decision-making, crisis management and the extraordinary role of the civil service. It is also a moving celebration of Heywood's life in the beating heart of UK politics, and a man who for so long was the most powerful non-famous name in Britain. (Sunday Times Bestseller, February 2021)
Winston's War
Author: Michael DobbsPublisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN: 1402249217
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 590
Book Description
From Michael Dobbs, author of the book that inspired the smash hit Netflix series House of Cards, comes Winston's War, a thrilling novel about the dawn of WWII and Winston Churchill's rise to power. At the beginning of WWII, Neville Chamberlain believes he has bought "peace for our time" from Adolph Hitler, who has just seized Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The English are alarmed by the huge German army, while the soldiers that would defend London don't even have steel helmets. For many, compromise and appeasement seem to be England's best defense. But there are a few leaders who don't agree. Among them is Winston Churchill, who understands that the relentless march of fascism will be democracy's death knell. In October 1938, Churchill pleads his case in the press to the BBC's Guy Burgess. One of these two will become the most revered man of his time, and the other will be known as the greatest of traitors. This stunning novel brings to life the surprising political intrigues that set the stage for World War II, and brings alive the passionate, grumpy, whiskey-drinking Winston Churchill, as he inspires his fellow countrymen to take on the world's mightiest army. Includes bonus reading group guide Praise for Michael Dobbs, bestselling author of House of Cards, the book that inspired the Netflix series: "An intriguing tale of espionage and treason... this is a work to enthrall."—Daily Mail "An author who can bring historical happenings so vitally back to life and made all the more impressive by being historically accurate in every respect."—Times of London "A fascinating tale of conspiracy, blackmail, and treachery."—Irish Independent "Dobbs takes us so far inside the mind of Winston Churchill that we feel as though we actually are him."—Booklist "Dobbs infuses dramatic tension, inventive plots, and heady pacing in the narration of a British icon's noblest hours."—Publishers Weekly "Dobbs has done a brilliant job in evoking the drama and despair of Britain hovering on the edge of the abyss."—Sunday Express
The Whistleblower
Author: Robert PestonPublisher: Bonnier Zaffre Ltd.
ISBN: 1838775277
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
THE HUNT FOR A KILLER LEADS ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP... 'Brilliant' - THE TIMES 'Cracking' - DAILY MAIL 'Winning' - SUNDAY TIMES 'A hell of a read' - OBSERVER 'Enthralling' - FINANCIAL TIMES 'Enjoyable, intelligent' - GUARDIAN 'A romping thriller' - INDEPENDENT 'A rollicking read' - EVENING STANDARD 'A gripping thriller' - DAILY EXPRESS 'Fascinating' - DAILY MIRROR 'Gripping' - RADIO TIMES 'Compelling' - THE SUN THE BIGGEST THRILLER OF THE YEAR FROM BRITAIN'S TOP POLITICAL JOURNALIST, ROBERT PESTON. ________________________ 1997. A desperate government clings to power; a hungry opposition will do anything to win. And journalist Gil Peck watches from the sidelines, a respected commentator on the sport of power politics. He thinks he knows how things work. He thinks he knows the rules. But when Gil's estranged sister Clare dies in a hit-and-run, he begins to believe it was no accident. Clare knew some of the most sensitive secrets in government. One of them might have got her killed. As election day approaches, Gil follows the story into the dark web of interests that link politics, finance and the media. And the deeper he goes, the more he realises how wrong he has been. But power isn't sport: it's war. And if Gil doesn't stop digging, he might be the next casualty... Robert Harris' THE GHOST and Bill Clinton & James Patterson's THE PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER meets HOUSE OF CARDS in the most anticipated thriller of the year, THE WHISTLEBLOWER by Robert Peston. What your favourite authors are saying about THE WHISTLEBLOWER: 'Exceptional' MATTHEW D'ANCONA 'A genuine page-turner' - TOM BRADBY 'Intelligent, elegant & thrilling' - RORY CLEMENTS 'Unputdownable' - DAMIEN LEWIS 'Riveting' - NICK ROBINSON 'A cracking read' - ED BALLS
All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain’s Political Class
Author: Tim ShipmanPublisher: HarperCollins UK
ISBN: 0008215162
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 688
Book Description
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2017 #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘The best political book of the year’ Andrew Marr ‘A superb work of storytelling and reporting. Sets new benchmark for the writing of contemporary political history’ Guardian The only book to tell the full story of how and why Britain voted to leave the EU.
The Assault on Truth
Author: Peter ObornePublisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1398501018
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 91
Book Description
* THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER * 'A clinical and merciless account of Johnson's mendacity... gripping' Guardian When Peter Oborne wrote The Rise of Political Lying, looking at the growth of political falsehood under John Major and Tony Blair, he believed things had got as bad as they could be. With the arrival of Boris Johnson at No 10 in 2019 began a new and unprecedented epidemic of deceit. In The Assault on Truth, a short and powerful new polemic, Oborne shows how Boris Johnson lied again and again in order to secure victory so he could force through Brexit in the face of parliamentary opposition. Johnson and his ministers then lied repeatedly to win the general election in December 2019. The government’s woeful response to the coronavirus pandemic has generated another wave of falsehoods, misrepresentations and fabrications. The scale and shamelessness of the lying of the Johnson administration far exceeds the lying about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and other issues under Tony Blair. This book argues that the ruthless use of political deceit under the Johnson government is part of a wider attack on civilised values and traditional institutions across the Western world, especially by Donald Trump in the USA. The Johnson and Trump methodology of deceit is about securing power for its own ends - even when they get exposed for lying, they shrug it off as a matter of no consequence. It matters because all Western institutions are built around the idea of integrity and accountability. This means that an assault on truth is an assault on the rule of law, state institutions and the fundamental idea of fairness, and even democracy itself.
The Prime Ministers
Author: Iain DalePublisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 1529312175
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 576
Book Description
**Winner of the 2020 PARLIAMENTARY BOOK AWARDS for Best Political Book by a Non-Parliamentarian** A Times Political Book of the Year 'An entertaining, thorough and informative canter through the characters and stories of prime ministers past.' - New Statesman 'A wealth of enjoyable insights into three centuries of Westminster politics... It is a most elegant hardback volume, with a gilded cover that looks a little like the famous front door of No. 10 itself; the ideal Christmas gift.' - Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman 'This is a timely study of UK Prime Ministers and Iain Dale has done the subject a great service with this measured and thoughtful labour of love which offers a fascinating set of insights into the history of Britain, politics, the role of Prime Minister, and elite and establishment power... a superb guide to the times we have lived through and are living in.' - Gerry Hassan, Scottish Review *** 'Many of my predecessors were giants, some had feet of clay, all possessed human foibles.' - From the foreword by Boris Johnson It has almost been 300 years since Sir Robert Walpole arguably became the first holder of the office of Prime Minister in 1721 - an office which today is under scrutiny like never before. The Prime Ministers, edited by leading political commentator Iain Dale, brings to life all 55 of Britain's 'First Among Equals' with an essay for each office holder, written by key figures in British politics. From the obscure 18th-century figures like the Earl of Shelburne to 20th-century titans like Churchill and Thatcher, this book provides a much-needed reminder about their motivations, failures and achievements.
