Free Delivery Over $100
|
|
|||
|
||||
OverviewUpdated since the May 1997 election, Faces of Labour gives a unique insight into a range of Labour politicians in a series of entertaining and revealing portraits. With a substantial lead in the opinion polls, the Labour Party looks set to take over the reins of Britain s government within a year. Ironically, just at the point when Labour appears to be a government in waiting, it has never been more difficult to judge exactly what we can expect from Labour in government. New slogans and buzz words appear on almost a daily basis, as the Labour Party continues to redefine itself after two decades in opposition. In Faces of Labour Andy McSmith brings an expert eye to bear on the enormous changes Labour has undergone on the long road back to Number 10. A former party press officer and now a political correspondent for the Observer, few people are better qualified than Andy McSmith to give an account-both as an insider and as a critical observer-of what is really going on in the Labour Party. McSmith describes the transition from a party dominated by the radical left into a social democratic party. He reassesses the tensions between Old and New Labour, focusing on individuals whose careers throw different aspects of a complex story into sharp relief. McSmith gives a sharp insider's account of the key figures in the Labour hierarchy, including Peter Mandelson-the man described as Tony Blair's Rasputin-John Prescott, Robin Cook, Clare Short and, of course, Tony Blair himself. He also looks at those on the underside of the party-figures such as Ted Grant, guru of the Militant Tendency, and the late Jim Murray, a Tyneside shop steward who, by combination of pure chance and the power of the block vote, once held the future of Labour in his hands. Faces of Labour is crammed with the kind of telling detail available only to a writer who has observed his subject from close up. If you want to know what to expect from the New Labour government, this lively and accessible book is an indispensable guide. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Andy McSmithPublisher: Verso Books Imprint: Verso Books Edition: 2nd Revised edition Dimensions: Width: 12.70cm , Height: 2.80cm , Length: 19.80cm Weight: 0.490kg ISBN: 9781859840931ISBN 10: 1859840930 Pages: 384 Publication Date: 17 November 1997 Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate , Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: In Print  This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us. Table of ContentsReviewsA witty and insightful portrait gallery of current Labour figures. - Andrew Rawnsley, Observer You can dip into this book at any point and be surprised and engrossed ... the detail is fascinating. - John Rentoul, The Independent McSmith's book deserves study for what it says both about Labour's long years of opposition and about the party's startling leap to unprecedented favour. - Gerald Kaufman, Times Literary Supplement The real revelation comes from comparing the chapters on Neil Kinnock and Tony Blair. - Roy Hattersley, The Guardian A fascinating insight. - Evening Standard A gripping account of Labour's journey from a left-dominated party to the 'new Labour' of today. - New Statesman An excellent read ... the most insightful book yet published an Labour's cultural revolution. - Tribune Author InformationAndy McSmith is Political Editor of the Independent on Sunday. His previous books include John Smith: Playing the Long Game, Kenneth Clarke: A Political Biography and Faces of Labour. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
||||
