The Life of an MP
The Life of an MP

Author: Jess Phillips

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2021-07-22

Total Pages: 222

ISBN-13: 1398500917

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‘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.

How to be an MP
How to be an MP

Author: Paul Flynn

Publisher: Biteback Publishing

Published: 2012-01-12

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 1849543011

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Best summer reads 2015 John Crace, Guardian Not for everyone the title of Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary or other such hallowed callings; the vast majority of the House of Commons is made up of backbenchers – the power behind the constitutionally elected throne. Here is a guide for anyone and everyone fascinated by the quirks and foibles of Westminster Palace, covering all species of backbencher and providing every hardworking MP and political enthusiast with the know-how to survive life in Parliament. From how to address the crowd, weather marital troubles and socialise at party conference to the all important Backbenchers' Commandments, How to Be an MP is indispensable reading for anyone wishing to make a mark from the back bench and influence proceedings in the House. And in the process it provides the outsider with a riveting insight into life as a Member. - An unique guide to being a Member of Parliament. - Essential reading for MPs and a fascinating account of life and work in the world's oldest Parliament. - Has sold 5,000 units since first publication in 2012. - Foreword by Speaker John Bercow.

Marilyn Waring
Marilyn Waring

Author: Marilyn Waring

Publisher: Bridget Williams Books

Published: 2019-05-10

Total Pages: 561

ISBN-13: 1988545900

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In 1975, Marilyn Waring was elected to the New Zealand Parliament as the MP for Raglan. Aged just twenty-three, she was one of only a few female MPs who served through the turbulent years of Muldoon’s government. For nine years, Waring was at the centre of major political decisions, until her parliamentary career culminated during the debate over nuclear arms. When Waring informed Muldoon that she intended to cross the floor and vote for the opposition bill which would make New Zealand nuclear free, he called a snap election. And the government fell. . . This is an autobiographical account of Waring’s extraordinary years in parliament. She tells the story of her journey from being elected as a new National Party MP in a conservative rural seat to being publicly decried by the Prime Minister for her ‘feminist anti-nuclear stance’ that threatened to bring down his government. Her tale of life in a male-dominated and relentlessly demanding political world is both uniquely of its time and still of pressing relevance today.

Diary of an MP's Wife
Diary of an MP's Wife

Author: Sasha Swire

Publisher:

Published: 2020-09-24

Total Pages: 400

ISBN-13: 9781408713402

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What is it like to be a wife of a politician in modern-day Britain? Sasha Swire finally lifts the lid. For over two decades she has kept a secret diary detailing the trials and tribulations of being a political plus-one; the travel, the security, the challenges to family life and the unpredictable events. A professional partner as well as a life partner and one with strong political opinions herself, she detonates the image of the dutiful stereotype. Swire gives us a ringside seat through the great political events of the decade, from the election of David Cameron and the forming of a coalition, three general elections, to the referendum and the turmoil of Brexit. She speaks candidly about the key players, at work and in repose. She sheds light on the 'snake and ladder' nature of political careers, on the scandals, on the friendships and the fallouts, the juggling of office and home life, the media scrutiny and the handling of political opponents. It is a searingly honest, wildly indiscreet and often humorous account of what life is like inside the Westminster hot house.

The Life and Death of Democracy
The Life and Death of Democracy

Author: John Keane

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2009-06-01

Total Pages: 717

ISBN-13: 1847377602

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John Keane's The Life and Death of Democracy will inspire and shock its readers. Presenting the first grand history of democracy for well over a century, it poses along the way some tough and timely questions: can we really be sure that democracy had its origins in ancient Greece? How did democratic ideals and institutions come to have the shape they do today? Given all the recent fanfare about democracy promotion, why are many people now gripped by the feeling that a bad moon is rising over all the world's democracies? Do they indeed have a future? Or is perhaps democracy fated to melt away, along with our polar ice caps? The work of one of Britain's leading political writers, this is no mere antiquarian history. Stylishly written, this superb book confronts its readers with an entirely fresh and irreverent look at the past, present and future of democracy. It unearths the beginnings of such precious institutions and ideals as government by public assembly, votes for women, the secret ballot, trial by jury and press freedom. It tracks the changing, hotly disputed meanings of democracy and describes quite a few of the extraordinary characters, many of them long forgotten, who dedicated their lives to building or defending democracy. And it explains why democracy is still potentially the best form of government on earth -- and why democracies everywhere are sleepwalking their way into deep trouble.

Diane Abbott
Diane Abbott

Author: Robin Bunce

Publisher: Biteback Publishing

Published: 2020-09-24

Total Pages: 444

ISBN-13: 1785906275

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More than three decades after her election to Parliament, Diane Abbott is still racking up firsts. The first black woman elected to Parliament, she also recently became the first black person to represent their party at PMQs. Based on interviews with her colleagues, her political opponents and friends from school and university, as well as extensive archival research, Diane Abbott: The Authorised Biography traces Abbott's path from London, via Cambridge University, through the media and radical politics into Parliament, and then to the top of Jeremy Corbyn's shadow Cabinet.

Why We Get the Wrong Politicians
Why We Get the Wrong Politicians

Author: Isabel Hardman

Publisher: Atlantic Books

Published: 2018-09-06

Total Pages: 345

ISBN-13: 1782399747

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REVISED AND UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE EXPLOSIVE EVENTS OF 2021 and 2022 Winner at the Parliamentary Book Awards Shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year Longlisted for the Orwell Prize ____________ Daily Telegraph's Best Books of the Year Guardian's Best Books of the Year Evening Standard's Best Books of the Year Daily Mail's Best Books of the Year BBC's Biggest Books Prospect's Best Books of the Year Politicians are consistently voted the least trusted professional group by the UK public. They've recently become embroiled in scandals relating to everything from expenses to sexual harassment to illicit parties. Every year, they introduce new legislation that doesn't do what it sets out to achieve - often with terrible financial and human costs. But, with some notable exceptions, they are decent, hard-working people, doing a hugely difficult and demanding job. In this searching examination of our political class, award-winning journalist Isabel Hardman tries to square this circle. She lifts the lid on the strange world of Westminster and asks why we end up with representatives with whom we are so unhappy. Filled with forensic analysis and revealing reportage, this landmark and accessible book is a must read for anyone who wants to see a future with better government. 'This book has the power to fundamentally change how we do things in this country.' Emily Maitlis 'An entertaining read that addresses hard questions... invaluable for those who think they know what's wrong with Westminster but have no idea how to put it right.' John Humphrys

Last Man Standing
Last Man Standing

Author: Jack Straw

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Published: 2012-09-27

Total Pages: 680

ISBN-13: 1447222776

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As a small boy in Epping Forest, Jack Straw could never have imagined that one day he would become Britain's Lord Chancellor. As one of five children of divorced parents, he was bright enough to get a scholarship to a direct-grant school, but spent his holidays as a plumbers' mate for his uncles to bring in some much-needed extra income. Yet he spent 13 years and 11 days in government, including long and influential spells as Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary. This is the story of how he got there. His memoirs offer a unique insight into the complex, sometimes self-serving but always fascinating world of British politics and reveals the toll that high office takes, but , more importantly, the enormous satisfaction and extraordinary privilege of serving both your constituents and your country. Straw’s has been a very public life, but he reveals the private face, too and offers readers a vivid and authoritative insight into the Blair/Brown era and, indeed, the last forty years of British politics.

John Stonehouse, My Father
John Stonehouse, My Father

Author: Julia Stonehouse

Publisher: Icon Books

Published: 2021-07-19

Total Pages: 294

ISBN-13: 178578742X

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The authoritative account of the infamous runaway MP, by his daughter. 'A compelling account of an extraordinary political scandal, written from inside the Stonehouse family'. Martin Bell On 20 November 1974, British Labour MP and Privy Counsellor John Stonehouse faked his death in Miami and, using a forged identity, entered Australia hoping to escape his old life and start anew. One month later his identity was uncovered and he was cautioned; the start of years of legal proceedings. In a tale that involves spies from the communist Czechoslovak secret service, a three-way love affair and the Old Bailey, John's daughter examines previously unseen evidence, telling the dramatic true story for the first time, disputing allegations and upturning common misconceptions which are still in circulation. The story was never far from the front pages of the press in the mid-70s, and yet so much of the truth is still unknown. A close look at the political dynamics of the time; paced like a thriller, it's time for the world to know the real John Stonehouse.

Confessions of A Recovering MP
Confessions of A Recovering MP

Author: Nick de Bois

Publisher: Biteback Publishing

Published: 2018-01-09

Total Pages: 313

ISBN-13: 1785903411

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Shortlisted for the Political Books Awards 'Best Parliamentary Memoir 2018' You are not an executive who can make and enforce decisions. You are a legislator who votes on making laws. You are not a counsellor, a housing officer, benefits clerk, bank or trading standards officer, but you are often expected to provide a new home, sort out benefits, provide a loan or settle a dispute about a computer game bought for little Jimmy that doesn't work. You are, in fact, a 21stcentury Member of Parliament representing about 125,000 good folk from your constituency by taking your seat in probably the finest parliament in the world (despite what you may read or hear in the media). You are elected by a simple majority from roughly 50,000 people who mark their 'X' by your name at a general election, hoping that you will be able to make a difference somehow. Then, when as a new MP, you walk through the Members Lobby filled with a vision of how you will leave your mark on this place and this nation, what you are almost certainly unaware of is that your constituents, your government, the press and the very institution of the Palace of Westminster have other plans for you.