Search Results for: The Prime Ministers

‘We all know about Queen Victoria, Edward VIII and Queen Elizabeth II, but how much do we really know about other monarchs? Yes, we know William the Conqueror beat King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. We know George III was mad, but what else do we know about his 60 year long reign? We know Henry VIII famously had six wives, but do we know much more about him, other than he was very fat?’

The British monarchy is one of the oldest in the world – dating so far back that even its origins are the subject of debate. Was William the Conqueror the first king of England, or was it Alfred the Great? In this third instalment of the series that began with The Prime Ministers and The Presidents, Iain Dale charts this long history of the English and British monarchy, with 64 essays by journalists, historians and politicians on every individual to have sat on the throne, as well as some who didn’t.

From Alfred the Great to Charles III, each essay examines the monarch, their role and what they tell us about British history. Why has the British monarchy, unlike so many others, endured? Kings and Queens will attempt to answer this question, and many others, providing valuable insight into British history and how Britain is ruled today.

The gripping and immersive historical thriller from the author of Witchfinder, based on the true events of a scandalous blackmail plot hidden in the shadows…

‘A compelling story of power, passion and intrigue based on real events. A terrific read’ NICK ROBINSON, BBC Today presenter

‘A wickedly entertaining tale of political chicanery’ DAILY TELEGRAPH
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London 1929. Very much not a land fit for heroes. Frenchie knows his occasional work for MI5 serves only the ruling classes. But he needs to feed his children. Scruples died in the trenches.

When Ramsay MacDonald, Britain’s first Labour Prime Minister, is blackmailed by a former lover, Frenchie must go to Paris to buy her silence.

It is clear there are many people who would see MacDonald fall – the Conservatives, their friends in the press, even some of his own colleagues. But his own secret service? When Frenchie hears the other side of the story, everything changes.
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‘If le Carre needs a successor, Williams has all the equipment for the role’ TIMES Literary Supplement Books of the Year

‘Spy tradecraft of the old school, with no computers, fast cars or mobile phones, but not a whit less exciting for that. Highly recommended as both a spy story and a piece of social and political history’ Shots Magazine

‘Thoughtful, very readable … We have been lucky, lucky, lucky to have him’ – The Times

‘Pithy and amusing’ – Sunday Times

David Dimbleby has interviewed prime ministers and presidents, made award-winning documentaries, chaired Question Time for 25 years, and anchored the BBC’s live coverage of historic national and world events.

KEEP TALKING is David’s wry look at his own extraordinary career, and the people, events and controversies he has encountered along the way. As a broadcaster for the BBC, David had an obligation to appear a neutral observer. Now finally ‘off the leash’ he writes without inhibition but with his characteristic wit, clarity and insight, about monarchy, politics, and the state of Britain.

His book is enlivened with honest accounts of broadcasting from the inside – from commentating on Diana’s funeral to anchoring ten successive General Election night results programmes. The faux pas, the secrets of the craft and what he was really thinking are shared for the first time. He reveals his own battles with politicians; queries the purpose and effect of political interviews; and considers the power of broadcasting – through programmes such as Question Time – to explore and amplify the public voice. Whilst profoundly British, the book ranges wider, in particular reflecting David’s time in many countries, including Southern Africa and the United States.

David has been there for us at nearly every major national event of the last fifty years. Serious, outspoken, and leavened with humour, KEEP TALKING reveals how David has seen it all – and is now telling it as he sees it.

WINNER OF THE WINGATE PRIZE

‘Vivid and moving’ Max Hastings, Sunday Times

‘Excellent . . . a powerful tribute’ Guardian

In the summer of 1940, faced with national paranoia, Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered the internment of all German, Austrian and Italian citizens living in Britain. Most were refugees who had fled Nazi oppression. They now faced imprisonment by the country in which they had staked their trust.

Among the inmates of Hutchinson Internment Camp, on the Isle of Man, were world-renowned artists, musicians and intellectuals: despite their unjust captivity, they remained resilient, transforming their prison into an artistic and academic community.

Meticulously researched and grippingly recounted, The Island of Extraordinary Captives tells the story of history’s most remarkable group of prisoners – and how they found hope even in the most challenging of circumstances.

‘Riveting . . . an account of cinematic vividness’ New York Times Book Review

‘Eye-opening, insightful and brilliantly written’ Daily Mirror

Do you know when to persevere and when to quit?

Jacina Ardern resigned as the prime minister of New Zealand. Simone Biles didn’t compete in the Tokyo Olympics. Prince Harry and Princess Mako both left their royal families. The Great Resignation rages on and even the New York Times is telling us not to ‘be a martyr to grit.’

In Quitting, Pulitzer prize-winning writer Julia Keller dives deep into ‘the neuroscience of nope,’ as well as the social phenomena that drive our reluctance to throw in the towel, to dismantle the myth of perseverance once and for all.

Combining reportage from the front lines of neuroscience, pop culture and concrete practical advice for not just why but when and how to quit, Keller gives readers permission to pull the plug, live with intention and shape their own lives without fear and pressure – at work, at home, in our relationships, and beyond. She has spoken to more than 150 experts for this book, from scientists to sociologists to business-psych guru Adam Grant.

THE NEW MUST-READ SPIDER SHEPHERD THRILLER

The target – the Prime Minister. The assassins – hard-bitten jihadists with nothing to lose.

The only man who can stop them? Dan “Spider” Shepherd.

But Shepherd’s reputation is also on the line – he helped get one of the jihadists into the UK during the final days of the War in Afghanistan.

Now he has to track down the man whose life he once saved.

But the assassins aren’t lone wolf killers – someone much more devious is pulling their strings.

And the clock is ticking . . .

**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


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.

‘Modern, punchy and fresh’ Sunday Times

‘A positive and fascinating read’ Stylist

‘A collection of unexpectedly revealing interviews with “mould-breaking women”… This optimistic volume also includes an intimate memoir from Davidson herself’ Guardian

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The woman who trains Indian special forces in armed and unarmed combat, the IMF Chair, the UK’s most capped footballer, a dotcom millionaire, the BBC’s first female political editor, a member of the Royal Household, an eminent forensic scientist, an Olympic gold-medallist, a prime minister… this book is for every daughter, every mother, every aunt and every niece, as eighteen of the world’s mould-breaking women share the life lessons they’ve learned. Every single one of them has shown that yes, she can.

Revealing, enthralling, informing, in Yes She Can Ruth Davidson weaves her own inspiring journey with these personal stories into a timely rallying call for generations to come.

Sophy Ridge, presenter for Sky News, has uncovered the extraordinary stories of the women who have shaped British politics.

Never has the role of women in the political world ever been more on the news agenda, and Sophy has interviewed current and former politicians including among others, Nicola Sturgeon, Ruth Davidson, Betty Boothroyd gain exclusive insight into the role women play in politics at the highest level. The book also includes Theresa May’s first at-length interview about her journey to becoming Prime Minister.

These interviews have revealed the shocking truth about the sexism that is rife among the House of Commons both in the past and today, with sometimes shocking, and sometimes amusing anecdotes revealing how women in Westminster have worked to counter the gender bias.

Sophy provides gripping insight into historical and contemporary stories which will fascinate not just those interested in politics but those who want to know more about women’s vital role in democracy.

From royalty to writers and from class warriors to suffragettes, Sophy tells the story of those who put their lives on the line for equal rights, and those who were the first to set foot inside the chambers of power, bringing together stories that you may think you know, and stories that have recently been discovered to reveal the truth about what it is to be a woman in Westminster.
This book is a celebration of the differing ways that women have shaped the political landscape. The book also, importantly, sheds light on the challenges faced by women in government today, telling us the ways that women working in politics battle the sexism that confront them on a daily basis.

From the author of the bestselling Danny Black series and hit TV show Strikeback.

Former SAS legend Chris Ryan brings you his sixteenth novel and it is full of all his trademark action, thrills and inside knowledge.

2003. Invalided out of the SAS Chet Freeman makes his living in high-end security, on a temporary contract for an American corporation called the Grosvenor Group. He catches a young woman, a peace campaigner, eavesdropping on a meeting the Group is holding with the British Prime Minister. The Group’s interests include arms manufacture, and what Chet and the young woman overhear seems to imply that it is bribing the Prime Minister to take his country into an illegal war.

Could this possibly be true?

Somebody believes that this is a secret that needs covering up, because Chet and the girl are attacked. Hunted down, they go into hiding, and a deadly game of cat and mouse begins.Nearly ten years later tension is reaching breaking point in Jerusalem. The now ex-Prime Minister is working as a Middle East peace envoy. As the city descends into anarchy and rival armies are poised to turn it into a battlefield, Chet’s best buddy, Luke, is part of a team tasked by the Regiment with extracting the ex-Prime Minister.

At the height of the battle Luke discovers a conspiracy far more devastating than any arms deal.

How did a ‘chai wallah’ who sold tea on trains as a boy become Prime Minister of India?

On May 16, 2014, Narendra Modi was declared the winner of the largest election ever conducted anywhere in the world, having fought a campaign unlike any before.

Political parties in Britain, Australia and North America pride themselves on the sophistication of their election strategies, but Modi’s campaign was a master-class in modern electioneering. His team created an election machine that broke new ground in the use of social media, the Internet, mobile phones and digital technologies. Modi took part in thousands of public events, but in such a vast country it was impossible to visit every town and village. The solution? A ‘virtual Modi’ – a life-size 3D hologram – beamed to parts he could not reach in person. These pioneering techniques brought millions of young people to the ballot box – the holy grail of election strategists everywhere – as Modi trounced the governing Congress Party led by the Gandhi dynasty.

Former BBC correspondent and Downing Street communications expert Lance Price has been granted exclusive access to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team of advisers. With complete freedom to tell it as he finds it, he details Modi’s rise to power, the extraordinary election victory and its aftermath. The Modi Effect: Inside Narendra Modi’s campaign to transform India lifts the lid on a whole new box of tricks, where message-management and IT wizardry combined to create a vote-winning colossus of awesome potency.

As the country navigates a national crisis once again, read how Britain’s Prime Minister was inspired by Winston Churchill.

One man can make all the difference.

Now leader of the UK himself, Boris Johnson explores what makes up the ‘Churchill Factor’ – the singular brilliance of one of the most important leaders of the twentieth century. Taking on the myths and misconceptions along with the outsized reality, he portrays – with characteristic wit and passion – a man of multiple contradictions, contagious bravery, breath-taking eloquence, matchless strategizing and deep humanity.

Fearless on the battlefield, Churchill had to be ordered by the King to stay out of action on D-Day; he embraced large-scale strategic bombing, yet hated the destruction of war and scorned politicians who had not experienced its horrors. He was a celebrated journalist, a great orator and won the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was famous for his ability to combine wining and dining with many late nights of crucial wartime decision-making. His open-mindedness made him a pioneer in healthcare, education and social welfare, though he remained incorrigibly politically incorrect.

As Prime Minister Boris Johnson says, ‘Churchill is the resounding human rebuttal to all who think history is the story of vast and impersonal economic forces’.

Published in association with Churchill Heritage, The Churchill Factor is essential reading for anyone who wants to know what makes a great leader in a time of crisis.

WARNING: ADDICTIVE READING.
WE WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS OF TIME, DRY EYES OR DISCONNECTION WITH REALITY FOLLOWING PROLONGED READING.

‘Granger has combined Ian Fleming, John Le Carré and Trevanian in one heady mix’ New York Times

START READING THE NOVEMBER MAN SERIES NOW! Then go on to read the rest, you won’t regret it.

Devereaux. Codename November. A brilliant, lethally cool operative, he was years ago regarded as one of America’s most valuable security assets.

Now courted by the KGB and under threat from the CIA, Devereaux must foil the planned assassination of England’s richest man and it’s prime minister in a treacherous war of shadows on the Irish Sea.

Devereaux is both target and triggerman, pawn and master player. He is the spy who can never come in from the cold …

‘America’s best spy novelist’ – Ed McBain

Loved this? Read Schism next . . .

The year is 1982. As politicians bicker, a neutral Britain’s decline accelerates into anarchy. The Prime Minister accepts the Russian offer to ‘help restore law and order’. Faced with a national breakdown he has no choice.

Millions collaborate. But as Soviet troops take over Britain’s streets, men like Harry Andrews and Jamie Boyle go underground. For them there is only one answer to the life-and-death question: Is freedom worth fighting for?

A nation demoralised, a way of life obliterated: they said it could never happen…but there are flashes of resistance from a freedom loving few…

A Russian actor on the KGB payroll…

A middle aged wife with a fatal sense of guilt…

A seductive Slav beauty, fuel for an ageing diplomat’s sexual
fantasies…

A severely compromised British ambassador to Moscow who
will return to Britain as the Prime Minister’s personal advisor…

Their shadowy dance has begun to a tune of betrayal, disillusionment
and death, and a nation’s fate hangs in the balance.

‘A truly classic writer of espionage fiction’ – Len Deighton

Back in England following his heroics in the Zulu Wars, George Hart is summoned to a new adventure when Prime Minister Disraeli asks him to go on a secret mission to Afghanistan, where the British fear Muslim extremists are poised to overthrow the local ruler and threaten the jewel in the Imperial crown, India.

Hart has severe misgivings. Always an outsider in British society, he doesn’t like Whitehall’s arrogant way of meddling in other people’s religious and political affairs, but desperate for money, he takes the job and descends the Khyber Pass into a strange and violent land.

When his warnings are ignored by the pompous British Resident in Kabul, a terrible massacre occurs and soon Hart is on the run with a beautiful Afghan princess, in a race to prevent an uprising and head off a catastrophic British invasion.

DID YOU KNOW?

There are 3 Freemason secret handshakes

Putting a question mark in a movie title is considered bad luck

The Sudanese city of Khartoum is laid out in the shape of the Union Jack

Every Victoria Cross is made from bronze Chinese cannon

The light on top of the Rock of Gibraltar flashes out the letters G-B

The wearer of a teardrop tattoo will claim to have killed someone in prison

Barbers once offered bloodletting services using leeches – advertised by the now common red and white pole

The MI5 codename for the Prime Minister’s cat is ‘Pegasus’

In the English football league only clubs that have won the FA Cup can have triangular corner flags

YOU DIDN’T!?

BUY THIS BOOK

Who was Margaret Thatcher? Her influence on politics is well documented – not least by Lady Thatcher herself. What no one has attempted before this book by award-winning biographer Brenda Maddox, is to present the personal story of the woman who has been described as ‘the most significant Englishwoman since Elizabeth I’.

Brenda Maddox traces the life of the grocer’s daughter from Grantham who became the most successful Conservative Prime Minister of the twentieth century. Unprecedented access to people who knew her throughout her life, (some who have never spoken before) enables the author to paint a fully rounded portrait of a woman who – even after her death – is still both vilified and adored.

Through the eyes of her contemporaries we begin to understand this extraordinary woman, whose shadow still falls accross British life.