Conscious Bob
Well-Known Member
Political diaries are always a hit or miss affair. In this particular instance Chris Mullin made the decision to write a diary on the UK Government when New Labour came to power in 1997 and as a decent guy with no personal political scandal he was able to write extensively without enmity, by that I mean his views on his fellow politicians and parliamentary colleagues are not tainted by hostility.
The diary documents New Labour's first two terms under Tony Blair and is a frank book on the personal tussle between principals and career politics. Chris's personal bugbear was his effectiveness as a MP being compromised by the plans of more senior politicians to use or sideline him. The diary has a nice line in self-deprecating humour, there's plenty on the work/life balance, civil servants, peculiar parliamentary practices, flamboyant African leaders, observations on voters, the media and the ruthlessness of government with regard to their ministers.
As well as the heavy hitters of the day there are appearances of relative unknowns in the diary, David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn, whatever happened to them?
I enjoyed the book very much.
The diary documents New Labour's first two terms under Tony Blair and is a frank book on the personal tussle between principals and career politics. Chris's personal bugbear was his effectiveness as a MP being compromised by the plans of more senior politicians to use or sideline him. The diary has a nice line in self-deprecating humour, there's plenty on the work/life balance, civil servants, peculiar parliamentary practices, flamboyant African leaders, observations on voters, the media and the ruthlessness of government with regard to their ministers.
As well as the heavy hitters of the day there are appearances of relative unknowns in the diary, David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn, whatever happened to them?
I enjoyed the book very much.