Caroline Lucas – författare

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'A visionary book' Philip Pullman'Essential and magnificent' George Monbiot'Deft and wonderfully poetic' Grace BlakeleyThe right have hijacked Englishness. Can it be reclaimed?With the UK more divided than ever, England has re-emerged as a potent force in our culture and politics. But today the dominant story told about our country serves solely the interests of the right. The only people who dare speak of Englishness are cheerleaders for Brexit, exceptionalism and imperial nostalgia.Yet there are other stories, equally compelling, about who we are: about the English people’s radical inclusivity, their deep-rooted commitment to the natural world, their long struggle to win rights for all. These stories put the Chartists, the Diggers and the Suffragettes in their rightful place alongside Nelson and Churchill. They draw on the medieval writers and Romantic poets who reflect a more sustainable relationship with the natural world. And they include the diverse voices exploring our shared challenges of identity and equality today.Here, Caroline Lucas delves into our literary heritage to explore what it can teach us about the most pressing issues of our time: whether the toxic legacy of Empire, the struggle for constitutional reform, or the accelerating climate emergency. And she sketches out an alternative Englishness: one that we can all embrace to build a greener, fairer future.'Not just an inspiring, nuanced and deeply literate book, but that rarest of things – a necessary one.' Jonathan Coe, author of Bourneville'Cleverly deploys Elizabeth Gaskell, John Clare and Charles Dickens to demonstrate that a culture can be diverse and coherent, innovative and rooted; many stories told in one beautiful language.' Telegraph'Reading this warm, persuasive book is to be confronted with the idea and reality of a decent, saner England. One perhaps possible in a fought-for future.' iNews'A clarion call to define England and Englishness as our common ground, and a grounding for a transformation of politics and society.' Kate Pickett, co-author of The Spirit Level'Tells a new story about England and Englishness, and sets out the possibility for a progressive politics of land, place and nation. This is vital reading.' Robert Macfarlane, author of Underland'A progressive vision of the country’s literary and cultural history from the trailblazing MP . . . Offers much needed crumbs of hope for the future.' Guardian

The 2015 election result was a disaster for progressives in British politics, delivering a majority Conservative government at Westminster. And the outlook for the next election is not auspicious either, particularly amid the aftershocks of the momentous 2016 EU referendum result and with possible boundary changes in the offing. There is a growing recognition, however, that cross-party cooperation among the progressives could reinvigorate politics and inspire a credible alternative to the Conservatives. Those who want a good society can and must work together - and, by doing so, they can deliver better answers and more inclusive government. With contributions from a broad range of left and centre-left voices - including Sian Berry, Mhairi Black, Frances O'Grady, Tim Farron, Peter Hain, Carys Afoko, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Zoe Williams and Neal Lawson - The Alternative sets out a base of core values around which progressives can unite, proposes a number of big policy ideas that embody those values and, crucially, explores an urgently needed new form of politics to achieve them.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'A visionary book' Philip Pullman'Essential and magnificent' George Monbiot'Deft and wonderfully poetic' Grace BlakeleyThe Right have hijacked Englishness. Can it be reclaimed?Today, the only people who dare speak of Englishness are cheerleaders for Brexit, exceptionalism and imperial nostalgia. But there is another England, hiding in plain sight, which is dramatically more inclusive and forward looking. Here, Caroline Lucas delves deep into England's literary history to sketch out alternative stories of who we are - ones that we can all embrace to build a greener, fairer future.'Not just an inspiring, nuanced and deeply literate book, but that rarest of things – a necessary one.' Jonathan Coe, author of Bourneville'Cleverly deploys Elizabeth Gaskell, John Clare and Charles Dickens to demonstrate that a culture can be diverse and coherent, innovative and rooted; many stories told in one beautiful language.' Telegraph'Reading this warm, persuasive book is to be confronted with the idea and reality of a decent, saner England. One perhaps possible in a fought-for future.' iNews'A clarion call to define England and Englishness as our common ground, and a grounding for a transformation of politics and society.' Kate Pickett, co-author of The Spirit Level'Tells a new story about England and Englishness, and sets out the possibility for a progressive politics of land, place and nation. This is vital reading.' Robert Macfarlane, author of Underland'A progressive vision of the country’s literary and cultural history from the trailblazing MP . . . Offers much needed crumbs of hope for the future.' Guardian

Caroline Lucas is an outsider, inside, fighting for parliamentary reform and for the interests of her constituents. She is a politician with a radical mission and a clear vision of how change can be achieved. From the NHS to corporate tax evasion, from climate change to immigration, Honourable Friends? tells the story of 5 years in Westminster and offers bold and practical suggestions for a fairer British political system. It is a unique book by a unique politician and activist.