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Breaking the Code

Westminster Diaries
Brief Description
In the general election of 1997, the Conservative Party was heading for electoral oblivion. The Prime Minister was competent but unable to connect with voters, the Labour leader was dragging his party back to the centre ground, and MPs on all sides were embroiled in scandal.... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3999
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Breaking the Code paints an extraordinary portrait of Whitehall and Westminster in our time - warts and all.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In the general election of 1997, the Conservative Party was heading for electoral oblivion. The Prime Minister was competent but unable to connect with voters, the Labour leader was dragging his party back to the centre ground, and MPs on all sides were embroiled in scandal. Sound familiar?

One of the many Conservative MPs who at that time found themselves staring down the barrel of almost-certain defeat, Gyles Brandreth understands what it's like to be part of a government in its death throes. His account of his time in Parliament from 1992 to 1997 also controversially revealed the secret world of the Whips' Office and its struggles to control a party riven by infighting.

Now, as history looks set to repeat itself, comes the definitive edition of this widely acclaimed classic. With candid descriptions of the key figures of the era, from the leading players to the ministers who fell from grace, and a bright young hopeful by the name of David Cameron, Breaking the Code paints an extraordinary portrait of Whitehall and Westminster in our timeโ€”warts and all.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781785908736

Publisher: Biteback Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 16 May 2024

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Biteback Publishing

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Weight: 250g

Pages: 560

About the Author

Gyles Brandreth is a writer, broadcaster, actor, former MP and Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, now Chancellor of the University of Chester and one of Britain's most sought-after award ceremony hosts and after-dinner speakers. A star of Celebrity Gogglebox, a veteran of QI and Have I Got News For You, a reporter on The One Show, a presenter on Pointless, a regular on This Morning, and since the 1980s one of the mainstays of Just a Minute on BBC Radio 4. His most recent book is an acclaimed biography of Queen Elizabeth II: Elizabeth: an intimate portrait (Michael Joseph, 2022) which was a Sunday Times No 1 bestseller.

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    Brandreth โ€“ MP for Chester and government whip โ€“ 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 (Major, Clinton, Mandela) to the ministers who fell from grace, these widely acclaimed...
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