Customer Reviews

Confessions of a Eurosceptic

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A good short description of how Europe got into its present mess, my someone who was a government minister at the time (but he resigned). Excellent sketches of some of the guilty men. And some interesting side-stories about his foreign office travels (did you know the Argies tried to bribe the Falkland islanders?). Much better than the usual political memoir, and highly topical.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in the debate over Britain's relationship with the EU. Written by someone right in the thick of it as a minister under Margaret Thatcher, John Major and then as a shadow cabinet minister under William Hague, David Heathcoat-Amory writes with a light touch. He includes enough anecdotes and personal stuff to interest those who just enjoy political biographies. But it is his knowledge and expertise about the ever increasing influence of the EU institutions and British politicians' failure or lack of will to halt this which makes the book stand out.

This overdue memoir should resonate with the vast majority of like-minded British readers. The author had the guts to put his beliefs before his political career - that is something very rare indeed. As Charles Moore reflected elsewhere, had he not, he might well be in a very senior position in the Government today - they certainly need people like Heathcote-Amory. The trouble is no-one thanks you for being right. This is an insightful book which deserves to be read.

This book shows what happens when politicians stop listening to the people they represent. They wanted the euro for their own purposes and look where that has got us. Unemployment and mass demos, and we haven't seen the end of it. At least we escaped the worst of it, and for that we can thank people like the author of this book.
It's also a good account of how parliament works - or doesn't. And it includes some good snippets about Foreign Office life abroad. The book sets out the case for more engagement with the Commonwealth and the English speaking world, just when we are threatened with a Euro disaster. A pity it wasn't published earlier or more importantly that no one would listen to the author. A good read and very educational for those of us who feel we have been well and truly hoodwinked.

By Ronald

As a result of the mindless intervention of the UKIP in his Wells constituency
in the 2010 General Election David Heathcoat-Amory has now endured two years in
the wilderness outside Westminster. This is rough justice for a heroic figure
whose resignation from the Conservative front bench in 1996 in protest against
John Major's refusal to rule out joining the euro was arguably the bravest over
a foreign policy issue since Duff Cooper's over Munich in 1938. This brilliantly
readable short volume recounts his 27 year career in the Commons, focussing
primarily on Europe. Torn between loyalty to Parliament and country on the one
hand and to Party and personal careerism on the other, he took the honourable
path. He has been proved right in spades. I can imagine no better way for David
Cameron to convince the country's now large Eurosceptic majority that he is
serious about Europe than to bring Heathcoat-Amory into his government as a life
peer in the near future. Still only 63, he would have a major contribution to
make.

David Heathcoat Amory has written an admirable explanation of the ideological and political disaster , the Eurozone , into which their leaders have wittingly led their unfortunate peoples.
That we, in the UK, were ejected by the markets , on white Wednesday, from it's precursor is no thanks to our leaders either.
Heathcoat Amory was amongst those political leaders , both in the UK and in Europe, and resigned over the direction which he saw us being taken.
His own story of friendships and sadness, is woven into this short and very readable book.
If David Cameron was sensible he would have pushed this evidently principled Privy Councillor into the House of Lords.

The book is written with an easy style, isn't long and rewards the reader with anecdotes and observations from a life in politics. Its focus is Europe, and it cuts through the complexity and confusion and gives a clear account of why we are where we are on Europe and what it all means.