Usual Channels

Inside the Mysterious World of Political Whips

Inbunden, Engelska, 2025

214 kr

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Beskrivning

Once,political whips swore by a code of omerta...'Thetheory was that you never discussed what went on in the whips' office untilyour dying day, as though you worked at Bletchley Park.'...But not any more.Thoughdecades of silence have fostered intrigue, mythology and suspicion about theiractivities, the whips' office has long played a crucial role in Westminster, greasingthe parliamentary machine and keeping rebellious MPs in check. But while whipsappear all-knowing and ever-present, are they still all-powerful?TheUsual Channels pullsback the curtain on one of Westminster's most notorious elements and explores whetherwhips still have the upper hand.Chartingeccentric traditions and colourful characters, this authoritative guide is notonly an insight into the workings of a crucial institution; it is also amasterclass in the past fifty years of British political history.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2025-09-25
Mått:242 x 165 x 41 mm
Vikt:636 g
Format:Inbunden
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:544
Förlag:Biteback Publishing
ISBN:9781785908545

Utforska kategorier

Biografi: historia, politik och försvar inom Biografier

Mer om författaren

SebastianWhale is a journalist and author. His first book, Call to Order, abiography of John Bercow, was published in March 2020. He has worked at POLITICO,The House magazine and PoliticsHome. Born in 1991, Sebastian went toschool in Derbyshire and studied at King's College London. He now works as afreelance writer.

Recensioner i media

"Thisis a superb book and it's astonishing nobody's written something like it before.Through scores of delicious anecdotes, Sebastian Whale exposes how power reallyworks in the secretive and murky world of the parliamentary whips' offices.Highly entertaining, it deserves to become a political classic." Michael Crick,broadcaster and writer"Amagnificent achievement. Whale has delivered the authoritative book onthe most mysterious pillar of Westminster's power structure - the whips' office.Packed with insight and colourful anecdotes from inside the Houses ofParliament, this is a political junkie's dream." Jack Blanchard, POLITICO"Parliamentarywhips deliver government - laws, taxes, policies. Sebastian Whale reveals who theyare, how they do it and the mordant, cynical humour that surrounds the wholeprocess." Mark D'arcy, Parliament Matters podcast"Througha wealth of compelling anecdotes and deftly told stories, The Usual Channelspierces some of the persistent myths about the dark arts and brings our understandingof the whips' office bang up to date. Above all, it is an addictive andfunny read which anyone with even a passing interest in politics will love."Esther Webber, POLITICO"SebastianWhale manages to break through the omerta of the government's whips office anduncover the secrets of the men and women who have shaped politics from theshadows. The Usual Channels is a must-read on modern British history." RalphBlackburn, Westminster correspondent at the Yorkshire Post"Forthose who want to truly understand the world of Westminster, The Usual Channelsis as essential a read as Erskine May. Few books contain such a treasuretrove of anecdotes; there is political gold on every single page." JamesMatthewson, writer, broadcaster and former Labour adviser