Search results for ""Author Iain Dale""

Who became Britain's first Prime Minister on 3 April 1721?When was Karl Marx born?Where and when was the first battle of the Wars of the Roses?When did Big Ben first bong?When did the first British woman cast her vote? (Clue: It wasn't 1918.)Find the answers to these questions and many more in this landmark political history.From the first meeting of an elected English parliament on 20 January 1265 to the tabling of the Bill of Rights on 13 February 1689; from the Peterloo massacre of 16 August 1819 to Britain voting to leave the EU on 23 June 2016, there is a growing thirst for knowledge about the history of our constitutional settlement, our party system and how our parliamentary democracy has developed.Writing as an observer of political history, but also as someone with an opinion, acclaimed political broadcaster Iain Dale charts the main events of the last few hundred years, with one event per page, per day.'The indefatigable Iain Dale always cuts to the nub of politics.' Adam Boulton

Read more less

"She woke with a start. Could it really have happened, or was it just a cruel dream? One way to find out. She reached for the remote control ... 'You're watching GB News, the fair and balanced way to start your day,' intoned the voice of Andrew Neil, overlaid on a remix of 'Land of Hope and Glory'. And then it hit her, as she took in the newsreader's first headline. 'The new Prime Minister, Priti Patel, is about to announce her first Cabinet appointments...' The new Prime Minister... So it was real." What does it take to change history? Clement Attlee dying on the battlefield, perhaps? John Lennon surviving that bullet, or Theresa May finally (finally!) passing her Brexit deal? Or maybe the pivotal recent years of UK history turned on one man's decision to have just one more drink... This is the world of political counterfactuals. Here, twenty-three fictional accounts, written by experts in their fields, tell the tales of what might have been - and what might still come to pass. Captivating and illuminating, these stories are guaranteed to make you smile - or gasp in horror...

Read more less

**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 ReviewIt 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.

Read more less

Why Can’t We All Just Get Along is part-memoir, part-polemic about the state of public discourse in Britain and the world today. In an increasingly divided society, Iain examines why we’ve all become so disrespectful and intolerant. Using experiences from his career in politics and the media, he says it doesn’t have to be this way, and suggests how we can all emerge from tribalism and division and become more respectful to each other and those who govern us. It is a book that is optimistic about the fundamental decencies embedded in human nature and uses deeply personal anecdotes to explain why we can look forward in a positive way to a better life both in personal and material terms.

Read more less

**THE LATEST COLLECTION OF ESSAYS EDITED BY IAIN DALE: AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW** Praise for Iain Dale:''Riveting and enlightening. A history lesson via a novel route. '' ?????''Really enjoying reading this book. It is easy to dip in and out and each chapter is well written.'' ?????''Illuminating yet balanced'' ????? Were the signs that Putin is a ruthless dictator there all along? How should we deal with President Xi of China? Given the world seems to be moving more and more in favour of authoritarian rule, this is the right moment to seek warnings, and lessons, from history.The Dictators includes elected and unelected dictators, wartime and peacetime dictators, those driven by ideology and those with a reputation for sheer brutality. How did these tyrants, autocrats and despots seize power and how did they exercise it? And how did they lose it? Very few dictators die peacefully in their own beds. Are there speci

Read more less

Politics Home: Parliamentarians' Top Books for Christmas 2021'A must read for political geeks' - Saqib BhattiThere was a huge upsurge of global interest in US politics during the Trump presidency, culminating in the November 2020 election, the victory of the Democrat candidate Joe Biden and the subsequent, horrifying response in the storming of the US capitol. American politics is likely to remain deeply divided during the coming years, and also the focus of global attention - with Trump mobilising his base for 2024. But the transatlantic fascination with the role and office of the US President isn't new at all, and in fact reaches all the way back to the birth of the United States itself.The Presidents features essays, written by a range of academics, historians, political journalists and serving politicians, on all 46 American Presidents who have held the office over the last 230 years - from George Washington to Joe Biden. Each contributor has been carefully chosen based on expert knowledge of their subjects and personal connections, providing analysis of their subject's successes, failures and influence. Any hagiographical writing is shunned in favour of a 'warts and all' perspective on each President and the impact they've had on US politics - past, present and future.

Read more less

This remarkable book, edited by one of the UK's leading political commentators, takes us on a deep dive through nearly 200 years of British political history in its most dramatic expression, the general election.

Read more less

Politics Home: Parliamentarians' Top Books for Christmas 2021'A must read for political geeks' - Saqib BhattiThere was a huge upsurge of global interest in US politics during the Trump presidency, culminating in the November 2020 election, the victory of the Democrat candidate Joe Biden and the subsequent, horrifying response in the storming of the US capitol. American politics is likely to remain deeply divided during the coming years, and also the focus of global attention - with Trump mobilising his base for 2024. But the transatlantic fascination with the role and office of the US President isn't new at all, and in fact reaches all the way back to the birth of the United States itself.The Presidents features essays, written by a range of academics, historians, political journalists and serving politicians, on all 46 American Presidents who have held the office over the last 250 years - from George Washington to Joe Biden. Each contributor has been carefully chosen based on expert knowledge of their subjects and personal connections, providing analysis of their subject's successes, failures and influence. Any hagiographical writing is shunned in favour of a 'warts and all' perspective on each President and the impact they've had on US politics - past, present and future.

Read more less

Politics Home: Parliamentarians' Top Books for Christmas 2021'A must read for political geeks' - Saqib BhattiThere was a huge upsurge of global interest in US politics during the Trump presidency, culminating in the November 2020 election, the victory of the Democrat candidate Joe Biden and the subsequent, horrifying response in the storming of the US capitol. American politics is likely to remain deeply divided during the coming years, and also the focus of global attention - with Trump mobilising his base for 2024. But the transatlantic fascination with the role and office of the US President isn't new at all, and in fact reaches all the way back to the birth of the United States itself.The Presidents features essays, written by a range of academics, historians, political journalists and serving politicians, on all 46 American Presidents who have held the office over the last 250 years - from George Washington to Joe Biden. Each contributor has been carefully chosen based on expert knowledge of their subjects and personal connections, providing analysis of their subject's successes, failures and influence. Any hagiographical writing is shunned in favour of a 'warts and all' perspective on each President and the impact they've had on US politics - past, present and future.

Read more less

'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.

Read more less

FOREWORD BY PRIME MINISTER THERESA MAY When Constance Markievicz stood for election as MP for Dublin St Patrick's in 1918, few people believed she could win the seat - yet she did. A breakthrough in the bitter struggle for female enfranchisement had come earlier that year, followed by a second landmark piece of legislation allowing women to be elected to Parliament - and Markievicz duly became the first female MP. A member of Sinn Fein, she refused to take her seat. She did, however, pave the way for future generations, and only eleven months later, Nancy Astor entered the Commons. A century on from that historic event, 491 women have now passed through the hallowed doors of Parliament. Each one of these pioneers has fought tenaciously to introduce enduring reform, and in doing so has helped revolutionise Britain's political landscape, ensuring that women's contributions are not consigned to the history books. Containing profiles of every woman MP from 1918 to 1996, and with female contributors from Mary Beard to Caroline Lucas, Ruth Davidson to Yvette Cooper and Margaret Beckett to Ann Widdecombe, The Honourable Ladies is an indispensable and illuminating testament to the stories and achievements of these remarkable women.

Read more less

Boris Johnson, the UK's new Prime Minister, has ruled out holding an early general election. But, as we've seen, anything can happen in today's politics. There are few politicians who could genuinely be described as a phenomenon. Boris Johnson is undoubtedly one. With a shake of that foppish blond mop, a glimmer of his madcap smile and the voice of a demented public school boy, Boris provides comedy gold every time he opens his erudite mouth. The allure of this blundering rapscallion to many on the Tory benches and to the membership of the Conservative Party at large is all too obvious. He says what few others will say in public and, indeed, he will do so on the record - appearing to care little what people think of him or his views. This book is big on fun, comedy, life and spirit. Containing a selection of the very finest Boris-isms and illustrated by specially commissioned cartoons, The Big Book of Boris is a highly amusing read, straight from the gaffe-strewn mouth of Britain's most colourful politician.

Read more less

Biteback Publishing is delighted to announce a major new project, a two volume series of biographies of every female MP ever to be elected to the House of Commons. When Constance Markievicz stood as the Sinn Fein candidate for Dublin St Patrick's in 1918, few people believed she would win the election to become the first woman MP - but she did. Now, just over 100 years later, women following the path she paved are increasingly winning, and filling, the hallowed seats of Parliament. The past two decades have seen more and more women stepping up to fight for the interests of their constituents and redressing the unequal gender balance in the Commons. Since the huge influx of female Labour MPs with the election of Tony Blair (unfortunately referred to as 'Blair's Babes'), there are now women standing for a wide range of parties across the political spectrum. Alongside the ever-growing representation of BAME members in Parliament, these women are revolutionising Britain's political landscape like never before. Highlighting the profiles of each woman MP elected from 1997 to 2019, and written by an impressive array of solely female contributors, such as Emily Thornberry, Edwina Currie, Ayesha Hazarika, Natalie Bennett and Dia Chakravarty, The Honourable Ladies: Volume II is the second instalment in a compelling and comprehensive project to honour the lives and achievements of these unforgettable women.

Read more less

Following Theresa May's shock general election announcement, the UK political landscape looks set to change dramatically. Will predictions of a Tory landslide come to pass, or will the pollsters be surprised again? Whatever the result, the latest edition of the bestselling Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons will have all the info.Public affairs consultant Tim Carr and political experts Iain Dale and Robert Waller are rolling up their sleeves to put together a complete guide to the new personalities occupying the House of Commons benches in 2017.Who are they, what's their background and where will they lead the country?

Read more less