by Michael Dobbs (1993)
The role of the monarchy in modern Britain comes under scrutiny as Prime Minister Francis Urquhart threatens to expose Royal secrets when his plans are blocked by the idealistic new King. Their differences of opinion quickly degenerate into open hostility. The battlefield ranges from architecture to the underprivileged; the battle is fought with rigged opinion polls, manipulated newspaper headlines, sexual scandal and economic brinkmanship as Urquhart sets out to destroy not only the King's family and friends but even the King himself.
introd. A. J. P. Taylor
"David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM PC (17 January 1863 ? 26 March 1945), was a British Liberal politician and statesman. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and led a Wartime Coalition Government between 1916 and 1922 and was the Leader of the Liberal Party from 1926 to 1931."--Wikipedia.
Kenneth O. Morgan
The authorised (but not uncritical) life of one of the great parliamentarians and orators of our times, the former Labour Party leader, now in his nineties, who is also an eminent man of letters.
Ken Livingstone
" ... Whether describing his difficult childhood in working-class South LKondon, his love of nature or his battles with Margaret Thatcher and Gordon Brown, Ken Livingstone is never less than fascinating. His stories of deals and intrigues in committee rooms and council chambers are eye-opening and he is frank about his relationships with party bosses whose instinct was often to run a mile from him. [This book] is also revelatory about how things get done in big cities: Livingstone has been a great reforming city [of London] leader, whose achievements range from the introduction of the congestion charge and related environmental policies to major changes in the integration of London's transport networks. His campaigns against racism and homophobia and for women's rights made him a hate figure in the 1980s, but much of what he was arguing then is now the common sense of all decent politicians. And he played a central role in bringing the [2012] Olympics to London. ..."--Book jacket.
Francis Beckett & David Hencke
"Tony Blair has it all: power, success, flair, an adoring family and a face for every occasion. Admired in the US, grudgingly respected in the EU, this self-styled saviour of the world bounces back from any crisis, slur or scandal with an unfazed shrug even his enemies can only admire. Having single-handedly rebranded the Labour Party, he took Britain into an arguably illegal war in Iraq, provoking hostility both at home and abroad, and saw his own name become synonymous with 'liar' - yet he cruised through another general election to win a historic third term in office. Is it skill, cunning or just sheer luck that has since seen him bag the Olympics for London, stamp his mark on the latest G8 meeting and steady the country after the 2005 London bombings?"--Jacket.