How Westminster Works . . . and Why It Doesn't

Why do some prime ministers manage to get things done, while others miserably fail? What is a 'special adviser' and how did they take over British political life? And why is the House of Lords more functional than most people think? 'Lacerating ... a savage indictment of the status quo' Guardian 'An indispensable analysis of how we got into this mess' The Secret Barrister 'Far scarier than any conspiracy theory' The Times Most of us have a sense that our political system doesn't seem to work, but struggle to articulate exactly why. And for good reason: our political and financial institutions are cloaked in secrecy, archaic terminology, ancient custom and impenetrable jargon. Now, expert political journalist Ian Dunt is lifting the lid on British politics to expose every aspect of the setup in a way that can be understood and challenged. From Downing Street to Whitehall, the Commons to the Lords, this book is an indispensable guide to our political system. Based on interviews with some of the leading voices in politics, from former occupants of No.10 to key figures in Whitehall, Westminster and Fleet Street, Ian Dunt provides exactly what people in power have always tried to avoid: a full description of the mechanisms of British government. And a vision of how we can fix it. 'A blistering account of the irrationality and sheer absurdity of Britain's dysfunctional political system' Caroline Lucas 'A devastating diagnosis of how Britain's political engine has broken down. Everyone in Westminster should read it' Oliver Bullough 'Ian Dunt is an acute observer of what's gone wrong in our politics and why' Alastair Campbell 'Dunt's analysis is refreshingly focused on reality, rather than academic abstraction' New Statesman Why do readers love this? 'Instead of sensationalism, it gives you real insight into why the system struggles' 'While it is a scathing indictment of government, [Dunt] brings balance to the discussion and manages to produce a body of work that is not constrained by partisanship bias' 'Ian Dunt manages to make a topic, which is generally seen as boring, seem interesting and even, in some places, exciting. This book is a page turner' 'I learned more in the few hours I spent reading (or listening to) this about how my country works (or doesn't, etc.) than I did in all my years at school'

Why do some prime ministers manage to get things done, while others miserably fail? What is a 'special adviser' and how did they take over British political life? And why is the House of Lords more functional than most people think? 'Lacerating ... a savage indictment of the status quo' Guardian 'An indispensable analysis of how we got into this mess' The Secret Barrister 'Far scarier than any conspiracy theory' The Times Most of us have a sense that our political system doesn't seem to work, but struggle to articulate exactly why. And for good reason: our political and financial institutions are cloaked in secrecy, archaic terminology, ancient custom and impenetrable jargon. Now, expert political journalist Ian Dunt is lifting the lid on British politics to expose every aspect of the setup in a way that can be understood and challenged. From Downing Street to Whitehall, the Commons to the Lords, this book is an indispensable guide to our political system. Based on interviews with some of the leading voices in politics, from former occupants of No.10 to key figures in Whitehall, Westminster and Fleet Street, Ian Dunt provides exactly what people in power have always tried to avoid: a full description of the mechanisms of British government. And a vision of how we can fix it. 'A blistering account of the irrationality and sheer absurdity of Britain's dysfunctional political system' Caroline Lucas 'A devastating diagnosis of how Britain's political engine has broken down. Everyone in Westminster should read it' Oliver Bullough 'Ian Dunt is an acute observer of what's gone wrong in our politics and why' Alastair Campbell 'Dunt's analysis is refreshingly focused on reality, rather than academic abstraction' New Statesman Why do readers love this? 'Instead of sensationalism, it gives you real insight into why the system struggles' 'While it is a scathing indictment of government, [Dunt] brings balance to the discussion and manages to produce a body of work that is not constrained by partisanship bias' 'Ian Dunt manages to make a topic, which is generally seen as boring, seem interesting and even, in some places, exciting. This book is a page turner' 'I learned more in the few hours I spent reading (or listening to) this about how my country works (or doesn't, etc.) than I did in all my years at school'