9 Products

The Conservative politician Richard Austen ‘Rab’ Butler (1902–82) held three of the great offices of state and came close, on three occasions, to becoming Prime Minister. This biography examines his upbringing, education and political career and draws on his own papers and the testimony of his contemporaries to explore the reasons why, despite his formidable intellect and distinguished record as Chancellor of the Exchequer, the premiership ultimately eluded him.

As MP for Chester and a government whip, Gyles Brandreth had a ringside seat at Westminster from the fall of Margaret Thatcher to the election of Tony Blair. His frank and often funny diaries provide an insight into the workings of modern government, profiles of the key players, and the first-ever insider's account of the secret world of the Whips' Office. This updated edition continues the story to the arrival of David Cameron as Tory leader.

John Warwicker, a former Special Branch officer, tells the story of his six years in charge of security at No 10 Downing Street, protecting Prime Ministers Wilson, Callaghan and Thatcher during an era in which the Cold War and the IRA were ever-present threats.

In this study of Winston Churchill and the small group of men – the 'team of rivals' – that he chose to help him guide Britain through the grave crisis it faced in May 1940, Schneer examines Churchill's leadership and the relations between the War Cabinet ministers – among them Eden, Beaverbrook, Bevin, Attlee, Morrison and Stafford Cripps. He also looks beyond the war to the Cabinet's response to public expectations after six years of hardship – domestic issues which demanded a new kind of leadership.

As a child in a council flat in Epping, Jack Straw never imagined he would one day hold three great offices of state. In this candid memoir he charts his progress from student politics to Lord Chancellor. Without rancour or self-justification, he reveals the toll that public office takes on private life, discusses the fateful decision to go to war in Iraq, and offers first-hand insight into both the Blair government and the Bush administration. Off-mint.

Volume I of this set comprises an introductory survey by DW Hayton that goes beyond biography of members to consider the scope and nature of parliamentary business. Volume II contains the constituency surveys; Volumes III–V present detailed accounts of 1,982 MPs.