ТОП просматриваемых книг сайта:
The British Prime Minister in an Age of Upheaval. Mark Garnett
Читать онлайн.Название The British Prime Minister in an Age of Upheaval
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781509539376
Автор произведения Mark Garnett
Издательство John Wiley & Sons Limited
Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK
Polity Press
101 Station Landing
Suite 300
Medford, MA 02155, USA
All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.
ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-3937-6
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Garnett, Mark, 1963- author.
Title: The British prime minister in an age of upheaval / Mark Garnett.
Description: Medford : Polity Press, 2021. | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: “A timely re-assessment of the role of the British Prime Minister from Thatcher to Johnson”-- Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020038351 (print) | LCCN 2020038352 (ebook) | ISBN 9781509539352 (Hardback) | ISBN 9781509539369 (Paperback) | ISBN 9781509539376 (ePub)
Subjects: LCSH: Prime ministers--Great Britain. | Prime ministers--Great Britain--History. | Great Britain--Politics and government.
Classification: LCC JN405 .G37 2021 (print) | LCC JN405 (ebook) | DDC 941.086--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020038351 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020038352
The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this book are correct and active at the time of going to press. However, the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate.
Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any have been overlooked the publisher will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent reprint or edition.
For further information on Polity, visit our website: politybooks.com
Preface and acknowledgements
Writing a book is always a memorable experience, and not always in a positive way. An author, perhaps, can be forgiven for recalling the progress of a project from the initial proposal to the submission of a manuscript – and long-suffering publishers might wish that they could forget it. But if any book includes more than a brief reference to the production process it is usually a sure sign that the writer is suffering from an over-inflated ego.
On this occasion, however, a few words about the pre-history of the book seem to be justified. It originated in an invigorating conversation with Louise Knight, beginning with reflections on the political situation of the time and ending with a blurred outline of this book. It was September 2018, when the position of the Prime Minister, Theresa May, had already been the subject of considerable speculation for more than a year. In my innocence, I thought that it might be an appropriate occasion to take stock of developments in the prime ministerial role since 1979. More than once in the intervening months, I have wondered if the old curse should be adapted: to my (probably self-interested) mind, ‘May you try to write a book about the Prime Minister in interesting times’ seems far more menacing than the original version. Although the research began in 2018, the actual composition of the book has taken place during the ‘lockdown’ induced by the coronavirus pandemic.
In September 2018 Mrs May had already been the central figure in the most momentous events in British politics since 1945; and since her departure from office in the following summer almost every news bulletin seems to have featured developments which would have deserved inclusion in a study of the prime ministerial role in ‘normal’ times. Rather than demanding a reconsideration of the whole project, it seemed (to the author, at least) that these happenings, properly understood, confirmed the line of argument in my formal proposal for this book, which was written at a time when the British government felt able to disregard contingency planning for the onset of a viral pandemic. In order to remain true to the original plan (and to stay within the word-limit), developments since May’s resignation are outlined in the concluding chapter.
Louise and her colleague Inès Boxman at Polity have exercised considerable patience while I waited (in vain) for a respite from events which were all too likely to have a significant impact on the argument of this book. I am very grateful to both of them; to my colleagues and friends at Lancaster University (especially David Denver and Richard Johnson); to Dick Leonard, who has written with such erudition and eloquence on every one of Britain’s Prime Ministers; and to the students who subjected themselves in 2019–20 to my module on this subject. I am particularly sorry that I took so long to finish the book, preventing me from forcing those students to buy it.
Introduction
Speaking outside No. 10 Downing Street on 4 May 1979, Margaret Thatcher declared that being asked to form a government was ‘the greatest honour that can come to any citizen in a democracy’. Almost exactly eighteen years later, the incoming Tony Blair referred to ‘the huge responsibility that is upon me and the great trust that the British people have placed in me’. When Gordon Brown succeeded Blair in 2007 the new Prime Minister spoke as if he was still being screen-tested for a role he had coveted for so long: ‘I have been privileged to have been granted the great opportunity to serve my country. And at all times I will be strong in purpose, steadfast in will, resolute in action.’
Even in an age when political rhetoric is regarded with widespread cynicism it would be difficult to question the sincerity of these sentiments, expressed by three very different politicians. Whether the ascent has been relatively easy and swift, or arduous and prolonged, the individuals who become Prime Minister have reached the summit of their ambitions. As John Major put it in a characteristic statement of the obvious after his party’s defeat in the 1997 general election, ‘It is a privilege that comes to very few people’ (seventy-nine in 300 years). If anything, Prime Ministers tend to be even more effusive on leaving office – notwithstanding any professional or personal setbacks they might have suffered in the duration. In her last speech before her enforced departure from No. 10, Mrs Thatcher chose to overlook the traumatic circumstances of the last few days, assuring her audience that ‘It’s been a tremendous privilege to serve this country as Prime Minister – wonderfully happy years.’ In July 2016 David Cameron said that he was ‘very proud and very honoured’ to have held the highest office. Three years later, the emotions of the departing Theresa May spilled over soon after her declaration that it had been ‘the honour of my life’ to serve as Prime Minister.
‘Pride’, ‘honour’ and ‘privilege’: these are the recurring words when British Prime Ministers make their exits and their entrances. In also referring to ‘responsibility’, Blair was following Thatcher, whose initial reply to questions about her feelings on becoming Prime Minister were ‘Very excited, very aware of the responsibilities.’ Both Thatcher and Blair occupied the office of Prime Minister for more than a decade and would have served for longer if their parliamentary colleagues had allowed it. Even their warmest admirers would have to acknowledge that the experience left a mark on them. Thatcher’s tearful departure from Downing Street was a vivid reminder to the public of the human frailties which lay behind her ‘Iron Lady’ image. For his part, as leader of the Opposition Blair had been nicknamed ‘Bambi’ in recognition of his youthful zest; but this sobriquet was rarely heard after the Iraq War, which seemed to affect his health and his physical appearance. The shadow of Iraq even fell over his final appearance at Prime Minister’s