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Servants of the People: The Inside Story of New Labour
 
 
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Servants of the People: The Inside Story of New Labour (Paperback)

by Andrew Rawnsley (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 592 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin; New ed. edition (16 Jul 2001)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0140278508
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140278507
  • Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.4 x 4.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 84,166 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

If revenge is a dish best eaten cold, there will be some hastily scalded--and scolded--mouths around Westminster. Heavily serialised already in two national newspapers, political commentator Andrew Rawnsley's account of the honeymoon period of Tony Blair's Labour government is the story of four men who wanted something so much they could not believe it when it arrived. It proved, to a degree, a Faustian pact. Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Peter Mandelson and Alastair Campbell formed an inner circle without the Cabinet, but within earshot of their mutual blade-sharpening, while remaining glutinously bound by fierce personal desire. Rawnsley himself displays little of his subjects' "psychological flaws". Indeed, he would make a fine spin-doctor. His truffling turns up a barrowload of anonymous quotations, some whispered, some brayed, to support a punchy, racily confident narrative that begs between-the-lines reading to guess who has said what and why. He considers with clarity and wit episodes such as the now notorious Ecclestone affair, Geoffrey Robinson's home loan to Peter Mandelson, European monetary union, the Good Friday negotiations, Kosovo, the Pinochet affair, Scottish devolution and the trumpeted marriage of convenience between Blair and Brown. According to Rawnsley, while the antagonist Brown skulks around, grim of manner and unsung, Blair proves a more slippery customer. Unexpectedly gutsy over Kosovo and Northern Ireland, like Margaret Thatcher he remains at heart a conviction politician, and when his instinct deserts him, the exposed lack of ideological foundation can see him flounder, such as over the Mayor of London election. Rawnsley's final chapter, dealing with Blair's disastrous courting of the Women's Institute, inadvertently sets the stage for the fuel crisis, when the mask finally started to eat into the face. New Labour got itself into a spin, inevitably given its accelerating centrifugal force, but the Government still approaches the prospect of a second term-Blair's cherished dream--with cash in the coffers, and real achievements on the board. Andrew Rawnsley demands similar plaudits, for as vivid and plausible an account of the machinations of contemporary politics as there has been. And the burns will quickly heal. --David Vincent

NB: the latest edition includes a new preface and five new chapters which include information about the 2001 General Election



Review

"* 'The most readable contemporary history to be written since New Labour was elected' Roy Hattersley, Observer * 'Riveting... the Government's dirty washing has been well and truly hung out in public' Rachel Sylvester, Daily Telegraph"
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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating if dated, 22 May 2006
An excellent book on politics. Rawnsley obviously had excellent access at the time of writing. He has a profound understanding of politics which does not detract from his ability to see the funny side. He is also a good writer with an extensive vocabulary and a sense of rhythm. It's just a pity that he decided not to write subsequent volumes or updated versions covering the whole period of Labour's term in office. This book can be whole-heartedly recommended to anyone who is interested in politics. We all should be. The more faults and failings our politicians have, the more we should keep an eye on them.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent look behind the scenes at the hype behind the spin, 19 April 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Servants of the People: The Inside Story of New Labour (Hardcover)
This is an excllent buy. It looks at the day to day workings of No 10 and the workings of the New Labour Government which turns out to be the same old croanies with a different face. Andrew Rawnsley looks at a number of recent events and weeds out the facts that the new Blairites have tried to spin under the carpet. A good and lively read especially in this election year! Read before voting!
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An Insiders look at how Labour (New!) run the country, 12 May 2002
Covering the 1st term in office of a New Labour government, this offering gives a detailed account of the real story behind the many, many scandals, leaks and the overwhelming central aim of the government: presentation.

The account of the Bernie Ecclestone affair was especially interesting, if John Major had been involved in such murky business he may have been forced to resign, but Teflon Tony lived to fight another day (as did the Chancellor, who it is clear from this lied about his knowledge of the £1 Million donation to his party).

The personalities at the top of New Labour are also brought into focus. Peter Mandelson is it appears despised, Prescott ignored, Brown (as Blairs Press Secretary said) has "psychological flaws" and the Prime Minister not quite as clean cut as he would have us believe.

Very good effort.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars better than sex!
Unputdownable! I really enjoyed this book. It's incredibly detailed, evocative and shines a light in some very dark corners of public life.
Published 21 months ago by Art Lover

5.0 out of 5 stars DEMOCRACY IN PRACTICE
With 38 more days of Blair's premiership to go I thought that this might be a good time to remind myself of how it all looked and felt in the year 2000 when the book was... Read more
Published on 20 May 2007 by DAVID BRYSON

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than James Naughtie's The Rivals
What a fantastic read! Even though I read this in 2006, and Rawnsley's book only goes up to the 2001 election, it was riveting. Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2006 by E. MILES

5.0 out of 5 stars More action than a political thriller!
Some of the content of this book would not be out of place in a policial novel such as "Primary Colors". Read more
Published on 1 Nov 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars Dont miss this fantastic book - it will raise a wry smile!
A really excellent and mature book - forget any perceptions of the younger, brash Andrew Rawnsley formed from the tv show 'A Week in Politics'. Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2001 by J. C. Okonkwo

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely excellent. An essential read.
If you have any interest in modern British politics this book is a must. Even though I knew the ending, I was still gripped by what would happen next. Read more
Published on 29 Aug 2001 by Nick Sydenham

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb account of New Labour
Andrew Rawnsely, expert political commentator and broadcaster has certainly come 'up top' with this incredibly interesting account of key situations the Blair government have... Read more
Published on 8 Dec 2000 by nicky.martin@care4free.net

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
This really is an excellent summary of Labour's first three years in power. In turn both informative, revealing, gossipy and very entertaining. Read more
Published on 7 Nov 2000 by Clive Pacey

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent account of New Labour's government arrival
I found this book an excellent condensed 'history' of how the electorate of the UK were manipulated into voting for what was in effect a new political party, namely New Labour... Read more
Published on 5 Nov 2000

4.0 out of 5 stars A highly believable insider's account of New Labour.
This is the story of how a dozen people took a major political party by the scruff of its neck, and in the process made it electable again. Read more
Published on 2 Oct 2000 by sjft69

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