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Helen Suzman: Bright Star in a Dark Chamber: The Biography
by Robin RenwickHelen Suzman was the voice of South Africa's conscience during the darkest days of apartheid. She stood alone in parliament, confronted by a legion of highly chauvinist male politicians. Armed with the relentless determination and biting wit for which she became renowned, Suzman battled the racist regime and earned her reputation as a legendary anti-apartheid campaigner. Despite constant antagonism and the threat of violence, she forced into the global spotlight the injustices of the country's minority rule. Access to Suzman's papers, including her unpublished correspondence with Nelson Mandela, was granted by her family to the author, former British ambassador to South Africa Robin Renwick, who has penned a book rich with examples of her humour and political brilliance. This first full biography goes beyond her famous struggle against apartheid into her criticisms of the post-apartheid government. It is a fascinating insight into the life of a truly great South African and her role in one of the most important struggles in modern history.
Chapman Pincher: A Life
by Chapman PincherHarry Chapman Pincher is a legend among journalists. As an investigative reporter, he struck terror into those trying to hide the murky secrets of state.After early careers as a teacher, a scientist and a soldier, Chapman Pincher joined Lord Beaverbrook’s then all-powerfulDaily Expressin the summer of 1945 - and quickly became the master of the journalistic scoop. His first splash, a top-secret account of the development of the atomic bomb, sparked a furious transatlantic row. It was only the start of a career in which his name became synonymous with high-level exclusives from the most secret corners of government.When he finally retired from journalism, the leaks kept coming, leading to a series of bestselling books on the infiltration of Britain’s intelligence services by Moscow, culminating in his allegation that the head of MI5 was in fact a Soviet spy.InDangerous to Know, Chapman Pincher took pen to paper to describe the extraordinary events he witnessed and the varied characters he encountered. Colourful, indiscreet and compelling, this is the life of a true journalistic colossus and a revealing description of the century he bestrode.
Kim Philby: A story of friendship and betrayal (Dialogue Espionage Classics Ser.)
by Tim MilneKim Philby, the so-called Third Man in the Cambridge spy ring, was the Cold War's most infamous traitor, a Soviet spy at the heart of British intelligence. Philby joined Britain's secret service MI6 during the war and went on to head the section tasked with rooting out Russian spies before becoming the service's chief liaison officer with the CIA. He betrayed hundreds of British and US agents to the Russians and compromised numerous operations inside the Soviet Union. Tim Milne was Philby's closest and oldest friend. They studied at Westminster School together and when Philby joined MI6 he immediately recruited Milne as his deputy. Philby's treachery was a huge blow to Milne and, after he retired, he wrote a highly revealing description of Philby's time in the secret service. Publication of the memoirs was banned by MI6 but, after Milne's death in 2010, his family were determined that this insider's account of the Philby affair be published. Edited to include newly released top-secret documents showing how the KGB's 'master spy' managed to fool MI6 even after he defected to Moscow, this is the final word on one of the world's most notorious spies by the MI6 colleague who knew him best, the insider account of the Philby affair that Britain's spy chiefs did not want you to read.
An Unexpected MP: Confessions of a Political Gossip
by Jerry HayesSome people enter politics because they want to make the world a better place. Then there are those with welldeserved inferiority complexes who want status, power and position. Few believe me, but I entered the House of Commons purely by accident.' High virtue in high office? Not a chance, says Jerry Hayes. No staid autobiography or dry political memoir, An Unexpected MP takes you on a raucous and salacious romp through Westminster, the media and public life. In this no-holds-barred exposé, Jerry Hayes shows exactly why people were so surprised when he became an MP - from the duty policeman who told him to bugger off when he rolled up on his first day, to the Iron Lady herself, who looked with a steely eye on his cheerful chutzpah. And, as the perfect antidote to the holier-than-thou, whiter-than-white ways of the current crop of politicos, the shameless - and shamelessly entertaining - Hayes makes a brilliant tour guide to the strange country that is Parliament, taking gleeful swipes at left and right alike. Full of tall tales of unspeakable debauchery on a tsunami of alcohol, An Unexpected MP is a thundering account of the offbeat lunacy of Westminster and Fleet Street.
Dick Taverne: Politics and Beyond: A Memoir
by Dick TaverneIn 1973, Labour MP Dick Taverne caused a national sensation when he stood against his own party as an independent to win a historic by-election in Lincoln. Demonstrating the power of the individual against party politics, his bold move was a forerunner for the formation of the SDP some eight years later and cemented his own place in political history. Peppered with entertaining anecdotes, Against the Tide sets Taverne's political battles in the context of a rich and varied life. After studying at Oxford University, Taverne juggled a legal career while taking his first steps in politics, before serving in Harold Wilson's government during the 1960s. His later achievements included the launch of the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the founding of the charity Sense About Science, whose objective of advancing public understanding of science continues to inform public debate today. Still an active member of the House of Lords, Dick Taverne presents a thoughtful and compelling memoir, as well as a measured account of fraught and turbulent times.
Europe: Everything You Need to Know
by David CharterWhat will happen if Britain leaves the EU, and how will it affect you? Europe: vital for Britain's economy and global standing or a bureaucratic monster hell-bent on destroying our national sovereignty? And why is no one talking about what leaving Europe would actually mean? Addressing the real issues surrounding a potential exit from the EU - including jobs, travel, immigration, investment, sovereignty and justice - this book investigates the consequences both for the country and for the person on the street. A clear, comprehensive and compelling guide to the impact of the EU and the implications of a British exit, this objective and unbiased handbook, from an expert in the field, is essential reading for anyone with an interest in Britain's future.
Smile for the Camera: The Double Life of Cyril Smith
by Simon DanczukNo politician pandered to the media's appetite for personality more than Liberal MP Cyril Smith. Instantly recognisable for his colossal build, Smith was a larger-than-life character in a world of dull grey men. Yet 'Big Cyril' was anything but the roly-poly gentle giant of popular imagination.In November 2012, Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk outed Smith in Parliament as a serial child abuser. Now, in this devastating exposé, he describes how Smith used his profile to groom and sexually abuse young boys, frequently in institutions he had helped to establish. His victims, often troubled boys from broken homes, had no voice against their attacker and, though rumours abounded, Smith's appalling crimes went unnoticed by the public and unpunished by the authorities.Smile for the Camera is not just about a terrible abuse of power. It's about those who knew that abuse was taking place but looked the other way, making the corridors of Westminster a safe haven for paedophiles like Cyril Smith. This updated edition of the book that sparked a criminal investigation brings shocking new material to light, asking urgent questions of those who allowed Smith to prey on young children for decades without question.
Race Plan: An authentic liberal plan to get Britain fit for 'The Global Race'
by Jeremy BrowneThe world order is changing, incrementally but remorselessly, as wealth and power move beyond the industrialised West to the emerging economies in Asia and Latin America. As a Foreign Office Minister, Jeremy Browne witnessed this global revolution at first hand. Having seen for himself the extraordinary scale and pace of economic development in China, India and elsewhere, Browne's message is stark: the race to secure a favourable position in the new world order would be hard enough in the best of times. Yet Britain must now begin that race in the worst of times, after the deepest recession in living memory, still weighed down by high levels of borrowing and debt. Despite this, Browne remains an optimist. Britain can succeed in the global race, he argues, but we need a race plan. This is it.
The 'Too Difficult' Box: The Big Issues Polititians Can't Crack
by Charles ClarkeHOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE... BANKING? DRUG REGULATION? NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT? PROSTITUTION? PENSIONS? It's no secret that a myriad of long-term problems facing our society are not effectively dealt with by our current system of government; indeed, many are simply set aside and disappear completely from the short-term political agenda. Why? Because they are 'too difficult' to solve. From immigration to welfare reform, from climate change to media regulation, the biggest issues consistently fall foul of the adversarial short-termism that afflicts our political culture. Too often, these seemingly intractable problems find their way into the 'too difficult' box: a burial ground for all the unpopular subjects that governments and their civil servants aren't prepared to confront directly. The failure to address these fundamental issues, however, inevitably fosters cynicism about democracy itself. Former Home Secretary Charles Clarke argues that although change is difficult, it is sorely needed, and in some cases, time is not on our side. In THE 'TOO DIFFICULT' BOX he brings together a cast of heavy hitters from the worlds of politics, academia and public service, including Anthony Giddens, Hayden Phillips, John Hutton, Shirley Williams, Richard Dannatt, Margaret Hodge, Adam Boulton, Trevor Phillips, Patricia Hewitt and David Blunkett to write expansively and persuasively on some of society's mpolost insidious problems, too often kicked into the long grass because of their apparent insolubility.
Klop: Britain's Most Ingenious Secret Agent
by Peter DayKlop Ustinov was Britain's most ingenious secret agent, but he wasn't authorised to kill. Instead, he was authorised to tell tall tales, bemusing and beguiling his enemies into revealing their deepest, darkest secrets. From the Russian Revolution to the Cold War, he bluffed and tricked his way into the confidence of everyone from Soviet commissars to Gestapo Gruppenführer. In Klop: Britain's Most Ingenious Secret Agent, journalist Peter Day brings to life a man descended from Russian aristocrats and Ethiopian princesses but who fancied himself the perfect Englishman. His codename was U35 but his better-known nickname 'Klop' meant 'bedbug', a name given to him by a very understanding wife on account of his extraordinary capacity to hop from one woman's bed to another in the service of the King. Frequenting the social gatherings of Europe in the guise of innocent bon viveur, he displayed a showman's talent for entertaining (a trait his son, the actor Peter Ustinov, undoubtedly inherited), holding a captive audience and all the while scavenging secrets from his unsuspecting companions. Klop was masterful at gathering truth by telling a story; this is his.
They Fought Alone: The True Story of SOE's Agents in Wartime France
by Maurice BuckmasterSet Europe ablaze.' The order came from Churchill himself. The result was the Special Operations Executive - the SOE. Established in 1941 with the aim of supplying Occupied France with a steady stram of highly trained resistance agents, this clandestine Second World War network grew to become a cricual part of the Allied arsenal. Ingeniously engineering acts of sabotage, resistance and terror in the face of the occupying Nazis, the SOE dealt devastating and fatal blows to the German war effort - and directly contributed to the rapid and successful advance of Allied forces across France in the days and months after D-Day. At the head of the French operations stood Colonel Maurice James Buckmaster, the leader of the SOE's French Section. These are his extraordinary memoirs. A lost classic, now available for the first time after many decades, They Fought Alone offers a unique insight into the courageous triumphs and terrible fates of the SOE's agents between 1941 and 1944. This new edition includes an introduction by intelligence historian Michael Smith that deals with the recent controversy surrounding Buckmaster, restoring his reputation as one of the most important figures in the resistance to the Nazis.
Xavier: A British Secret Agent with the French Resistance
by Richard HeslopColnel Richard Heslop, alias Xavier, was one of Britain's Greatest Special Operations agents in France. Ingeniously orchestrating resistance groups and ruthlessly sabotaging German operations, Xavier played a crucial role in Allied espionage during the war, from late 1942 right through to D-Day. Sent to France in the middle of the conflict, he delicately balanced clandestine missions and dangerous wartime operations on a daily basis, yet his name barely gets a mention in the accounts of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), making this insight all the more fascinating. It is clear that Xavier's role was like no other. it was a job that involved frequent encounters with the terrifying possibilities of capture, torture and death; it was a job where a careless whisper could deliver a man into the hands of the Gestapo; and it was a job that involved acts of sabotage, espionage, theft, and sometimes even murder... Xavier is a dramatic and compelling account of courage and endurance in the face of a merciless enemy - the true story of one of Britain's greatest secret agents.
The Eye of the Storm: The View from the Centre of a Political Scandal
by Rob WilsonMPs' expenses in 2009. Phone hacking in 2011. 'Plebgate' in 2012. If a good speech or a ground-breaking new policy fails to get people talking, you can be sure a juicy scandal will do the trick. Our instantaneous news culture of social networks, blogs and Twitter feeds means politicians now, more than ever, can find themselves the focus of every journalist in the country in what seems like the blink of an eye. But behind this hostile media landscape, behind the storm of camera flashes and the clamour of opponents on all sides baying for blood, are the politicians themselves. With the benefit of personal interviews and access to senior officials including Vince Cable, Andrew Mitchell and Jeremy Hunt, Rob Wilson MP details what it's really like to be at the heart of a relentless media onslaught. Describing both the emotional upheaval and the strategies employed as politicians try to navigate through careers seemingly hanging by a thread, Wilson reveals the extraordinary political and personal stories behind the public drama; the real impact on those who live in the eye of the storm.
MI5 in the Great War
by Nigel WestIn 1921, MI5 commissioned a comprehensive, top-secret review of the organisation's operations during the First World War. Never intended for circulation outside of the government, all seven volumes of this fascinating and unique document remained locked away in MI5's registry ... until now. Recently declassified and published here for the first time, MI5 in the Great War is filled with detailed, and previously undisclosed, accounts centring on the Security Service's activities during the conflict. The main narrative examines MI5's various attempts to both manage and detect double agents; the detection and execution of enemy spies; its study of German pre-war espionage; and the Kaiser's personal network of spies seeking to infiltrate British intelligence. Coinciding with the centenary of the start of the Great War, this historically significant document has been edited and brought up to date by bestselling writer and historian Nigel West, providing an extraordinary insight into the early years of MI5 and its first counterintelligence operations.
Power Trip: A Decade of Policy, Plots and Spin
by Damian McBrideHailed as the must-read political book of the year by commentators on all sides of the great divide, Power Trip is the explosive memoir of one of Westminster's most controversial figures. From 1999 to 2009, Damian McBride worked at the heart of the Treasury and No. 10. He was a pivotal member of Gordon Brown's inner circle before a notorious scandal propelled him out of Downing Street and onto the front pages. Known by friend and foe as 'Mad Dog' or 'McPoison', Brown's right-hand man demonstrated a ruthless desire to protect and promote New Labour's no. 2, whatever the cost. Laying bare his journey from naive civil servant to disgraced spin-doctor, McBride writes candidly about his experiences at the elbows of Brown, Balls and Miliband, detailing the feuds, plots and media manipulation that lay at New Labour's core. Freshly updated with revealing new material, Power Trip is an eye-watering exposé of British politics and a compelling story of the struggles and scandals that populate the political world.
Power Trip: The Epilogue
by Damian McBride*The Explosive New Chapters* The long-awaited epilogue to what's been hailed as the must-read political book of the year by commentators on all sides of the great divide. In addition to material covering the phone-hacking scandal previously excluded for legal reasons, in these final three chapters of Power Trip Damian McBride details the aftermath of the book's publication and outlines his shocking predictions for the future of the Labour Party, politics and the economy with characteristic insight and comic flair.
Stanley, I Resume: Further recollections of an exuberant life
by Stanley JohnsonStanley Johnson: one-time spy, politician, animal rights crusader - and irresistibly brilliant raconteur. From his career as a Member of the European Parliament to his pioneering work saving the rainforests, Stanley Johnson's life has roamed many avenues. Amongst much else, he has served on the staff of the World Bank and the European Commission, penned dozens of books, appeared on many popular television shows and won awards for his environmental campaigning, besides fathering six children, including the current Mayor of London. This second volume of rip-roaring and hilarious recollections from the man himself begins with him falling out of a tree on his fortieth birthday, then picks up where its acclaimed predecessor, Stanley, I Presume, left off. Along the way, we're treated to the sights of Stanley posing as a burglar, horrifying Margaret Thatcher with his cocktail party repartee, climbing Kilimanjaro (twice) and navigating the turbulent rapids of parenthood. Riotous and illuminating, Stanley, I Resume paints a vivid portrait of a politician, poet and adventurer, an idealist, a family man and - above all - a born storyteller.
How to Be a Minister: A 21st-Century Guide
by John HuttonAll ministerial careers end in failure, but they start in hope. True, not everyone expects to end up in No. 10, but everyone wants to do something important. Politics has all sorts of downsides as a career choice but the fortunate few get the opportunity to do something meaningful - prevent or win wars, reduce poverty, create the NHS or, just sometimes, put an end to real injustice. How to Be a Minister launches you into your fledgling ministerial career and shows you how to proceed. This is a fail-safe guide to how to survive as a Secretary of State in Her Majesty's Government, from dealing with civil servants, Cabinet colleagues, the opposition and the media, to coping with the bad times whilst managing the good (and how to resign with a modicum of dignity intact when it all inevitably falls apart). Co-written by former Labour minister John Hutton and former Permanent Secretary Sir Leigh Lewis, How to Be a Minister is not only an invaluable survival guide for ambitious MPs but a tantalising view into the working lives of the people we elect to run our country.
The Politicos Guide to the 2015 General Election: Profiles Of The New Mps And Analysis Of The 2015 General Election
by Iain Dale Greg Callus Daniel Hamilton Robert WallerAs the 2015 general election looms on the horizon, the only thing anyone can seem to agree on is that it will be unpredictable, not least because, for the first time in our history, we are experiencing the brave new world of four-party politics. Here, in one volume, is everything you need to know about what is shaping up to be one of the most exciting general elections of the last twenty years. In this unique guide to the state of the parties, policies and polls, you'll find expert predictions and commentary from political pundits, as well as all the facts and figures you need to make an informed decision at the ballot box.This essential guide includes:Analysis of key marginal seatsInformation about demographics, voting intentions and past electoral behaviourExamples of historical precedentLists of prospective candidatesProfiles of the main party leadersArticles on the role of social media and the traditional mediaBreakdowns of regional and constituency data.A book that will appeal to enthusiastic politicos and inquisitive voters alike, this is the essential guide to the most eagerly awaited general election in recent history.
Why Vote Labour 2015: The Essential Guide (Why Vote #1)
by Dan Jarvis Ed MilibandWill the 2015 general election herald the return of a Labour-dominated government? Could another coalition be on the cards with a rival party, or will the Labour Party be doomed to remain in opposition for another term? In this concise and authoritative guide, Dan Jarvis MP brings together a cast of Labour's brightest and best to explain how the Labour Party proposes to address the problems facing the nation today if they win power in 2015. Exploring the party's key policies, agendas and traditional commitments, with case studies and contributions from experts and members of the public, Why Vote Labour 2015 will prove invaluable in helping you decide where to place your vote on 7 May.
Why Vote Liberal Democrat 2015: The Essential Guide (Why Vote #3)
by Jeremy BrowneThe 2010 general election saw the largest popular vote for the Liberal Democrats since the party's creation, but will they build on that success in 2015? Could they become partners in another coalition government or will they join the ranks in opposition? In this concise and accessible guide, Liberal Democrat Jeremy Browne explains how the Lib Dems are best placed to tackle both the problems facing the nation today and those of its future - and why they deserve your vote on 7 May. By exploring the party's key policies, agendas and traditional commitments, Why Vote Liberal Democrat 2015 will prove invaluable in helping you decide where to place your vote.
Why Vote UKIP 2015: The Essential Guide (Why Vote #2)
by Suzanne EvansWill UKIP follow their European election success of 2014 and make unprecedented gains at the next general election? In this concise and accessible guide, UKIP's deputy chairman Suzanne Evans explains what the UK would look like under the leadership of Nigel Farage, and why a vote for UKIP is a vote for Britain. By exploring the party's key policies, agendas and commitments, Why Vote UKIP 2015 will prove invaluable in helping you decide where to place your vote.
Why Vote Conservative 2015: The Essential Guide (Why Vote #4)
by Nick HerbertThe Conservative Party wants to win the 2015 general election with an outright majority. But what should be the party's purpose in government? In this unique guide, Conservative MP Nick Herbert explores the values that have ensured the party's success for the better part of the last hundred years, and sets out how they should be applied to build another Conservative century. Why Vote Conservative 2015 proposes a radical Conservative agenda to reform political institutions, bring government closer to the people, personalise public services and lower taxes.
Breaking the Code: Westminster Diaries
by Gyles Brandreth"Brandreth is the true Samuel Pepys of our day." Andrew Neil, BBC Radio Five Live "Brandreth, for my money, offers about the most honest, and the most amusing, account of the demented, beery futility of the Tory-ruled Commons in the 1990s." Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph "Hilariously acute ... Irresistible." Matthew d'Ancona, Sunday Telegraph "Extremely touching ... Brandreth emerges as a decent, amusing, talented and charming man." Simon Heffer, Daily Mail "As a witty and insightful chronicler ... Brandreth is unsurpassed." Michael Simmons, The Spectator Gyles Brandreth's revealing journal paints an extraordinary portrait of Whitehall and Westminster in our time - warts and all. Brandreth - MP for Chester and government whip - enjoyed a ringside seat at the great political events of the 1990s, from the fall of Margaret Thatcher to the election of Tony Blair. With candid descriptions of the key figures of the era, from the leading players to the ministers who fell from grace, and a cast that includes the Queen, Bill Clinton and Joanna Lumley, these widely acclaimed diaries provide a fascinating insight into both the reality of modern government and the bizarre life of a parliamentary candidate and new MP. Controversially, Breaking the Code also contains the first ever insider's account of the hitherto secret world that is the Government Whips' Office. This new, complete edition features material previously excised for legal reasons, as well as additional diaries that take the story on another ten years to the departure of Tony Blair and the arrival as Tory leader of David Cameron - a bright young hopeful when Brandreth first meets him in 1993.
Chance Encounters: Tales from a Varied Life
by Tim Razzall"I met Frank Sinatra through Robert Maxwell. That's if you can be said to have met someone who was on a private jet with you for fourteen hours and never spoke to you." So begins Chance Encounters, a charming insight into the extraordinary people, places and politics experienced in one varied and fascinating life. Over the last fifty years, Tim Razzall has forged successful careers in law, business and politics, rising to become both a CBE and a life peer. From his time representing the biggest names in rock music to his sortie among the big hitters of the City takeover mania in the fifties, Razzall has rubbed shoulders with the Beatles, Bill Clinton and Bertrand Russell, among many, many others. Throughout all this, he has had a key role in the rise of the Liberal Democrats from fringe party to partner in government. As an adviser to Paddy Ashdown, Razzall was a major player in the Lib Dems' covert relationship with Tony Blair. As party treasurer for twelve years, he had a front-row view of the pleasures and perils of political fundraising. Having been an adviser to Charles Kennedy - and best man at his wedding - Razzall divulges frank details of the problems that led to the former leader's resignation, as well as speaking candidly and astutely about the personalities in the House of Lords. No traditional, dry autobiography, Chance Encounters is a brisk, high-spirited romp through the worlds of business, entertainment and politics, dispensing insight and humour in equal measure.