Книги

The sensational inside story of Boris Johnson’s last days in power.

Sebastian Payne, Whitehall Editor for the Financial Times , tells the essential behind-the-scenes story, charting the series of scandals that felled from the blocked suspension of Owen Paterson to Partygate, and, finally, the Chris Pincher allegations, which were the final death blow.

This is the full narrative of the betrayals, rivalries, and resignations that led to the dramatic Conservative coup. With unparalleled access to those who were in the room when key decisions were made, Payne tells of the miscalculations and mistakes that led to Boris’s downfall, only two years after he first entered No.10 Downing Street.

This is a gripping and timely look at how power is gained, wielded, and lost in Britain today.

The sensational inside story of Boris Johnson’s last days in power.

Sebastian Payne, Whitehall Editor for the Financial Times , tells the essential behind-the-scenes story,…

Stu Hennigan delivered emergency medicine and food parcels during the the first 6 months of Covid-19 in inner city Leeds. Ghost Signs highlights the issue of 21st century poverty and how a decade of Austerity has devastated our most vulnerable communities.

Stu Hennigan delivered emergency medicine and food parcels during the the first 6 months of Covid-19 in inner city Leeds. Ghost Signs highlights the issue of 21st century poverty…

No other writer is more suited to chronicling the absurd times in which we live.

In What Just Happened?! Marina Hyde slashes her way through the hellscape of post-referendum politics, where the chaos never stops. Clamber aboard as we relive every inspirational moment of magic, from David Cameron to Theresa May to Boris Johnson. Marvel at the sights, from Trumpian WTF-ery to celebrity twattery. And boggle at the cast of characters: Hollywood sex offenders, populists, sporting heroes (and villains), dastardly dukes, media barons, movie stars, reality TV monsters, billionaires, police officers, various princes and princesses, wicked advisers, philanthropists, fauxlanthropists, telly chefs, and (naturally) Gwyneth Paltrow. It's the full state banquet of crazy - and you're most cordially invited.

Drawn from her spectacularly funny Guardian columns, What Just Happened?! is a welcome blast of humour and sanity in a world where reality has become stranger than fiction.

No other writer is more suited to chronicling the absurd times in which we live.

In What Just Happened?! Marina Hyde slashes her way through the hellscape of post-referendum…

An astonishing investigation into the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war – from the corridors of the Kremlin to the trenches of Mariupol.

The Russo-Ukrainian War is the most serious geopolitical crisis since the Second World War – and yet at the heart of the conflict is a mystery. Vladimir Putin apparently lurched from a calculating, subtle master of opportunity to a reckless gambler, putting his regime – and Russia itself – at risk of destruction. Why?

Drawing on over 25 years’ experience as a correspondent in Moscow, as well as his own family ties to Russia and Ukraine, journalist Owen Matthews takes us through the poisoned historical roots of the conflict, into the Covid bubble where Putin conceived his invasion plans in a fog of paranoia about Western threats, and finally into the inner circle around Ukrainian president and unexpected war hero Volodimir Zelensky.

Using the accounts of current and former insiders from the Kremlin and its propaganda machine, the testimony of captured Russian soldiers and on-the-ground reporting from Russia and Ukraine, Overreach tells the story not only of the war’s causes but how the first six months unfolded.

With its panoramic view, Overreach is an authoritative, unmissable record of a conflict that shocked Europe to its core.

An astonishing investigation into the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war – from the corridors of the Kremlin to the trenches of Mariupol.

The Russo-Ukrainian War is the most…

The Intelligence Corps is one of the smallest and most secretive elements of the British Army. It has existed in various guises since the early twentieth century, but it was only formally constituted in July 1940. In this book, Michael Ashcroft tells the astonishing stories of some of its most courageous and ingenious figures, who have operated all over the world from the First World War to the present day.

Whether carrying out surveillance work on the street, monitoring and analysing communications, working on overseas stakeouts, receiving classified information from a well-placed contact or interrogating the enemy in the heat of war, a hugely diverse range of people have served in the Corps, often supplementing their individual professional skills with original thinking and leadership in the name of the Crown. This book pays tribute to them and shows why, in the words of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, 'No war can be conducted successfully without early and good intelligence.'

The Intelligence Corps is one of the smallest and most secretive elements of the British Army. It has existed in various guises since the early twentieth century, but it was only…

A British diplomat shares lessons on leadership gained over his expansive career.

Simon McDonald argues that we should reflect on the nature and strategies of leadership before entering a leadership role, and we should look to examples of others to help us in shaping our own approaches.

Over nearly four decades in Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service, McDonald worked for four permanent under-secretaries and a dozen senior ambassadors before becoming a permanent under-secretary himself and leading the Service—which has over 14,000 staff members in 270 countries—for five years. He also worked directly for six foreign secretaries and under five prime ministers. Observing these people undertaking such important and difficult work, McDonald saw the behaviors which helped them achieve their objectives, as well as those which hindered them.

In this book, McDonald synthesizes the skills he’s learned through his many years working in diplomacy, offering an insightful contribution amid heightening debates over the leadership of the United Kingdom. Considering the future of British leadership, he makes a case for the reform of the monarchy, the cabinet, civil service, and, in particular, the House of Lords, of which he has been a member since 2021.

A British diplomat shares lessons on leadership gained over his expansive career.

Simon McDonald argues that we should reflect on the nature and strategies of leadership…

‘A persuasive manifesto for a better Britain.’ Observer Book of the Day

Britain is in crisis. This timely book by one of the stars of frontline politics shows a way out.
In this brilliant and accessible intervention, Lisa Nandy reveals how Britain can leave behind the mess in which we find ourselves. All In charts a course towards a fairer, more equal, more prosperous country by drawing on the greatest asset we have – each other.

Rapid global changes, political division and economic crisis have left Britain reeling. For decades, large swathes of the country have been shut out, condemned to low productivity, underinvestment and managed decline, and stripped of their voice. With most major cities now beset with high housing costs, air pollution and congestion, even the ‘winners’ are losing.

All In shows how, by handing power and resources to people with a stake in the outcome, Britain can draw on the talent, assets and potential in every part of the country and start firing on all cylinders again. Finding strength rather than fear in our differences, it reimagines the relationship between people and government so that all of us can play our part in meeting the challenges of our age and rebuilding Britain the only way that works – together.

Lucid, clear-eyed and hopeful, this book sets out how we restore values, energy and direction to our politics and offers a glimpse of the alternative future that remains within our grasp.

‘A persuasive manifesto for a better Britain.’ Observer Book of the Day

Britain is in crisis. This timely book by one of the stars of frontline politics shows a way out.
In…

Floella Benjamin was the little girl from the Caribbean who became a British household name, and along the way received some of the highest accolades around, including a BAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award, a Damehood, and became a Peer in the House of Lords.

Born in Trinidad, she came to England in 1960 with her family as part of the Windrush generation. She was shocked to find a cold and unwelcoming Britain, her first and by no means her last experience of racism. Benjamin quickly realised that if she was going to survive, she had to learn how to live in two cultures. Forced to leave school at sixteen, she resolved to become Britain’s first black woman bank manager, but a successful audition for a national musical put her on the path to a decades-spanning career in entertainment.

From Playschool to pantomime, television documentaries and singing with orchestras all over the world, Floella’s entertainment work was only one string to her bow. Over the last thirty years, she has dedicated herself to charitable causes, lobbying prime ministers on behalf of children, building her Touching Success foundation, and advocating for more representation across the media.

Benjamin also set up her own television company, was the Chancellor of the University of Exeter for a decade, and ran ten London Marathons for Barnardos. A natural storyteller, What Are You Doing Here? is her incredibly moving and honest account of her remarkable life and her refusal to be defined by others.

Floella Benjamin was the little girl from the Caribbean who became a British household name, and along the way received some of the highest accolades around, including a BAFTA…

When Covid-19 swept the world, governments scrambled to protect their citizens and chart a course back to normality. As Health Secretary, Matt Hancock was at the forefront of Britain’s battle against the virus, trying to steer the country through the crisis in a world where information was scarce, judgements huge and the roadmap non-existent.

Drawing on a wealth of never-before-seen material, including official records, his notes at the time and communications with all the key players in Britain’s Covid-19 story, this candid account reveals the inner workings of government during a time of national crisis, reflecting on both the successes and the failures.

Recounting the most important decisions in the race to develop a vaccine in record time and to build a nationwide testing capacity from the ground up, Pandemic Diaries provides the definitive account of Britain’s battle to turn the tide against Covid-19. Crucially, it also offers an honest assessment of the lessons we need to learn to be prepared for next time – because there will be a next time.

When Covid-19 swept the world, governments scrambled to protect their citizens and chart a course back to normality. As Health Secretary, Matt Hancock was at the forefront of…

In the high-stakes world of politics, there are superb highs and terrible lows – and never more so than in the period since 2010, during which so much has changed. Few are better placed to give an insider’s view of the turmoil than the Rt Hon. Dame Andrea Leadsom MP.

From working cross-party on reform of the European Union to taking to the stage at Wembley as a key figure in the Leave campaign, through two leadership bids, Cabinet intrigue, squaring off against an increasingly erratic Speaker, founding a campaign to give babies the best start for life and securing a landmark Spending Review settlement, Andrea’s story tracks the ups and downs of a political career and particularly some of the challenges for female MPs. In this very personal account, she gives a real insight into the daily goings-on with ministers, parliamentary colleagues, civil servants, special advisers, the media and constituents.

As a lifelong optimist, Andrea argues that political careers don’t always – as is so often claimed – end in failure, and explains how, like a game of snakes and ladders, politics is often about getting yourself into the right place at the right time.

In the high-stakes world of politics, there are superb highs and terrible lows – and never more so than in the period since 2010, during which so much has changed. Few are better…

A bold, urgent argument on the misplacement of value in financial markets and how we can and need to maximize value for the many, not few.
As an economist and former banker, Mark Carney has spent his life in various financial roles, in both the public and private sector. VALUE(S) is a meditation on his experiences that examines the short-comings and challenges of the market in the past decade which he argues has led to rampant, public distrust and the need for radical change.
Focusing on four major crises-the Global Financial Crisis, the Global Health Crisis, Climate Change and the 4th Industrial Revolution-- Carney proposes responses to each. His solutions are tangible action plans for leaders, companies and countries to transform the value of the market back into the value of humanity.

A bold, urgent argument on the misplacement of value in financial markets and how we can and need to maximize value for the many, not few.
As an economist and former banker, Mark…

The far right is on the rise across the world. From Modi's India to Bolsonaro's Brazil and Erdogan's Turkey, fascism is not a horror that we have left in the past; it is a recurring nightmare that is happening again - and we need to find a better way to fight it.

In The Truth Is Not Enough, Paul Mason offers a radical, hopeful blueprint for resisting and defeating the new far right. The book is both a chilling portrait of contemporary fascism, and a compelling history of the fascist phenomenon: its psychological roots, political theories and genocidal logic. Fascism, Mason powerfully argues, is a symptom of capitalist failure, and it has haunted us throughout the twentieth century.

History shows us the conditions that breed fascism, and how it can be successfully overcome. But it is up to us in the present to challenge it, and time is running out. From the ashes of Covid-19, we have an opportunity to create a fairer, more equal society. To do so, we must ask ourselves: what kind of world do we want to live in? And what are we going to do about it?

The far right is on the rise across the world. From Modi's India to Bolsonaro's Brazil and Erdogan's Turkey, fascism is not a horror that we have left in the past; it is a…

In his brilliantly illuminating new book Sathnam Sanghera demonstrates how so much of what we consider to be modern Britain is actually rooted in our imperial past. In prose that is, at once, both clear-eyed and full of acerbic wit, Sanghera shows how our past is everywhere: from how we live to how we think, from the foundation of the NHS to the nature of our racism, from our distrust of intellectuals in public life to the exceptionalism that imbued the campaign for Brexit and the government's early response to the Covid crisis. And yet empire is a subject, weirdly hidden from view.

The British Empire ran for centuries and covered vast swathes of the world. It is, as Sanghera reveals, fundamental to understanding Britain. However, even among those who celebrate the empire there seems to be a desire not to look at it too closely - not to include the subject in our school history books, not to emphasize it too much in our favourite museums.

At a time of great division, when we are arguing about what it means to be British, Sanghera's book urges us to address this bewildering contradiction. For, it is only by stepping back and seeing where we really come from, that we can begin to understand who we are, and what unites us.

In his brilliantly illuminating new book Sathnam Sanghera demonstrates how so much of what we consider to be modern Britain is actually rooted in our imperial past. In prose that…

'Nathan Law's agonising account of China's ruthless takeover of Hong Kong provides a terrible insight into Beijing's ambitions - the world needs to read this.' - Jon Snow

'In Freedom, Nathan Law paints a deeply personal portrait of sheer courage... An essential and timely read.' - Speaker Nancy Pelosi

What does it mean to be truly free? And can any of us be free until all of us are?

Nobel Peace Prize nominee Nathan Law has experienced first-hand the shocking speed with which our freedom can be taken away from us, as an elected politician arrested simply for speaking his mind.

He remembers what it is like to lack freedom - and his father's precarious three-day escape from China in a small rowing boat.

When authoritarianism makes gains around the world, demanding our silence as the price of doing business, it poses a challenge to democracy everywhere.

In this passionate rallying cry, Law argues that we must defend our freedom now or face losing it for ever.

'Now we all need to stand firm to defend our freedoms, to ensure truth is not determined by dictators. We are born free and as equals. As long as we believe in that, no one can take it away from us.'

'Nathan Law's agonising account of China's ruthless takeover of Hong Kong provides a terrible insight into Beijing's ambitions - the world needs to read this.' - Jon Snow

'In…

Is the Britain of 2021 a nation hopelessly divided? Stuck in outmoded political convention and economically outclassed on the world stage? Penny Morduant and Chris Lewis don’t think so. And neither should anyone else. In this ground-breaking polemic, they argue that Britain is a country with still plenty to offer to ourselves and the world- a unique culture and history with endless economic opportunity and an unstoppable drive for innovation. It is an indispensable guide to the post-Brexit future for business, government and everything in between by two individuals with an unmatched experience of both.

Featuring a foreword by Elton John, Greater is a manifesto for hope and optimism, a guide for the future in times that are not nearly as troubled and crisis ridden as many would have us believe. Delving insightfully into our culture, our business practices and political conventions, they demonstrate that Brexit is far from a disaster. It is an unmissable opportunity for positive reform and preserving the values that can and will bring us together into a brighter future for all.

Is the Britain of 2021 a nation hopelessly divided? Stuck in outmoded political convention and economically outclassed on the world stage? Penny Morduant and Chris Lewis don’t…

When the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the globe in 2020, it created an unprecedented impact, greater than the aftermath of 9/11 or the global financial crisis. But out of such disruption can come a new way of thinking, and in this superb new book former UK prime minister Gordon Brown offers his solutions to the challenges we face in 2021 and beyond.

In the book, he states that there are seven major global problems we must address: global health; climate change and environmental damage; nuclear proliferation; global financial instability; the humanitarian crisis and global poverty; the barriers to education and opportunity; and global inequality and its biggest manifestation, global tax havens. Each one presents an immense challenge that requires an urgent global response and solution. All should be on the world’s agenda today. None can be solved by one nation acting on its own, but all can be addressed if we work together as a global community.

However, Brown remains optimistic that, despite the many obstacles in our way, we will find a path to regeneration via a new era of global order. Yes, there is a crisis of globalisation, but we are beginning to see the means by which it might be resolved. Crises create opportunities and having two at once shouldn’t just focus the mind, it might even be seen as giving greater grounds for hope. In Seven Ways to Change the World, Brown provides an authoritative and inspirational pathway to a better future that is essential reading for policy makers and concerned citizens alike.

When the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the globe in 2020, it created an unprecedented impact, greater than the aftermath of 9/11 or the global financial crisis. But out of such…

‘This book is here to take you inside the daily realities of Westminster. I don’t mean that it’s going to bore you to death with a blow by blow account of what it’s like to sit on the Statutory Instrument Debate on Naval regulations 1968-2020 – but to demystify the places and practice of politics.’

From agonising decisions on foreign air strikes to making headlines about orgasms, from sitting in on history-making moments at the UN to eating McCain potato smiles at a black-tie banquet in China, the life of a politician is never dull. And it’s also never been more important. But politics is far bigger than Westminster, and in this book Jess Phillips makes the compelling case for why now, more than ever, we all need to be a part of it.

With trademark humour and honesty, Jess Phillips lifts the lid on what a career in politics is really like and why it matters – to all of us. This is the inside story of what’s really going on.

‘This book is here to take you inside the daily realities of Westminster. I don’t mean that it’s going to bore you to death with a blow by blow account of what it’s like to sit on…

A groundbreaking exploration of the difficult decisions Britain faces outside the EU in a fast-changing world.

After decades of peace and prosperity, the international order put in place after World War II is rapidly coming to an end. Disastrous foreign wars, global recession, the meteoric rise of China and India and the COVID pandemic have undermined the power of the West's international institutions and unleashed the forces of nationalism and protectionism.

In this lucid and groundbreaking analysis, one of Britain's most experienced senior diplomats highlights the key dilemmas Britain faces, from trade to security, arguing that international co-operation and solidarity are the surest ways to prosper in a world more dangerous than ever.

A groundbreaking exploration of the difficult decisions Britain faces outside the EU in a fast-changing world.

After decades of peace and prosperity, the international order…

“A cracking good read – full of mischief and shrewd observation." - Gyles Brandreth

Veering from the hilarious to the tragic, Andrew Mitchell’s tales from the parliamentary jungle make for one of the most entertaining political memoirs in years.

From his prep school years, straight out of Evelyn Waugh, through the Army to Cambridge, the City of London and the Palace of Westminster, Mitchell has passed through a series of British institutions at a time of furious social and political change – in the process becoming rather more cynical about the British Establishment. Here, he reflects on the perils and pleasures of loyalty, whether to a party, to individuals or to one’s own principles.

He brilliantly lifts the lid on the dark arts of the government Whips’ Office (‘Whipping, like stripping, is best done in private’) and reveals how he accidentally started Boris Johnson’s political career and later naively backed him to be Prime Minister – an act which rebounded on him spectacularly.

Mitchell also writes candidly about the Plebgate fiasco, which led to four police officers being sacked for gross misconduct and in one case imprisoned, while Mitchell himself faced a bill of millions of pounds in legal fees after losing his libel case.

Engagingly honest about his ups and downs in politics, Beyond a Fringe is crammed with hilarious political anecdotes and irresistible insider gossip from the heart of Westminster.

“A cracking good read – full of mischief and shrewd observation." - Gyles Brandreth

Veering from the hilarious to the tragic, Andrew Mitchell’s tales from the parliamentary…

'Brenda Hale's story is extraordinary. She has been a pioneer... Spider woman and agent of change' Harriet Harman

Lady Hale is an inspirational figure admired for her historic achievements and for the causes she has championed. Spider Woman is her story.

As President of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale won global attention in finding the 2019 prorogation of Parliament to be unlawful. Yet that dramatic moment was merely the pinnacle of a career throughout which she was hailed as a pioneering reformer.

As 'a little girl from a little school in a little village in North Yorkshire', she only went into the law because her headteacher told her she wasn't clever enough to study history. She became the most senior judge in the country.

How does a self-professed 'girly swot' get ahead in a profession dominated by men? A lifelong smasher of glass-ceilings, who took as her motto 'women are equal to everything', her landmark rulings in areas including domestic violence, divorce, mental health and equality were her attempt to correct that.

Wise, warm and inspiring, Spider Woman shows how the law shapes our world. It is the story of how Lady Hale found that she could overcome the odds and change British law for good.

'Essential, entertaining and inspirational reading for all lovers of freedom, equality and justice' Shami Chakrabati

'Brenda Hale's story is extraordinary. She has been a pioneer... Spider woman and agent of change' Harriet Harman

Lady Hale is an inspirational figure admired for her historic…

As Minister of State at the Foreign Office, Alan Duncan was once described as Boris Johnson’s ‘pooper-scooper’. For two years, he deputised for the then Foreign Secretary, now Prime Minister. Few are more attuned to Boris’s strengths and weaknesses as a minister and his suitability for high office than the man who helped clear up his mistakes.

Riotously candid, these diaries cover the most turbulent period in recent British political history – from the eve of the referendum in 2016 to the UK’s eventual exit from the EU. As two prime ministers fall, two general elections unfold and a no-confidence vote is survived, Duncan records a treasure-trove of insider gossip, giving biting and often hilarious accounts of petty rivalries, poor decision-making, big egos, and big crises.

Nothing escapes Alan’s acerbic gaze. Across these unfiltered daily entries, he builds a revealing and often profound picture of UK politics and personalities. A rich seam of high politics and low intrigue, this is an account from deep inside the engine room of power.

As Minister of State at the Foreign Office, Alan Duncan was once described as Boris Johnson’s ‘pooper-scooper’. For two years, he deputised for the then Foreign Secretary, now…

'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.

'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…

Если вы в чем-то можете быть уверены, так это в том, что закон работает не на вас. Удивлены? Тогда вам точно стоит прочитать эту книгу. Ее автор называет себя "Тайный адвокат", он специализируется на уголовном праве и скрывает свое настоящее имя, чтобы рассказать всю правду о законах, правосудии и пропаганде СМИ. Кто на самом деле стоит за решениями по громким юридическим делам? Правда ли то, что нам говорят в СМИ, когда освещают тот или иной процесс? И главное, как незнание закона и своих прав может лишить всего, что мы имеем? На все эти вопросы вам ответит автор этого издания.

Если вы в чем-то можете быть уверены, так это в том, что закон работает не на вас. Удивлены? Тогда вам точно стоит прочитать эту книгу. Ее автор называет себя "Тайный адвокат", он…

Патриархальная культура веками навязывала женщине идеалы кротости, жертвенного служения и смирения, роль домашнего ангела, сладость подчинения. Героини Хелен Льюис – совсем не такие. Их имена окружали скандалы. Их сажали в тюрьмы, побивали камнями, а в нынешние времена – ведь нравы смягчились! – просто осмеивают. Сложные, нетерпимые, неудобные и эгоцентричные, порой агрессивные, порой смешные – оригиналки, чудачки, выскочки, они открыто формулировали замалчиваемые проблемы и показывали, что то, что что-то является привычным, не означает, что оно является также и нормальным. Они ломали стереотипы, заставляли общество пересматривать гендерные нормы, меняли уклад, законы и государственные институты – в интересах всех остальных. Бесстрастный педантизм историка-архивиста и честность журналиста-расследователя, аналитический ум, горячая эмпатия и готовность видеть малоприятную правду о своих героинях позволили Хелен Льюис собрать трезвую, проницательную, горькую, веселую и бесстрашную историю феминизма, его побед и провалов. Без торжественности и ненависти рассказать о том, как половина человечества добивалась права распоряжаться своими телом и голосом, своими временем и доходами, права ошибаться и исправлять ошибки, права быть несовершенными – быть людьми.

Патриархальная культура веками навязывала женщине идеалы кротости, жертвенного служения и смирения, роль домашнего ангела, сладость подчинения. Героини Хелен Льюис – совсем не…