Esler, Gavin – The Bell Bookshop

Britain Is Better Than This

Emma — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

An urgent and timely exploration of a British political system in peril – and what we must do to save it.For centuries, British identity has been shaped by ideas of exceptionalism, grandeur and competence. Yet British democracy is failing. Governments supported by a minority of voters are elected with enormous majorities under a deeply unrepresentative first-past-the-post system. The result has been failed leaders delivering wounding blows to the country’s economy, prosperity and international image.Britain Is Better Than This explores what lies beneath this sense of malaise, revealing the structural and constitutional failures at the heart of a sclerotic political system. It sheds light on a culture of lies, distrust and corruption. It reveals fundamental flaws in core institutions, including the media, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It draws on events such as the MP expenses scandal, Brexit, ‘Partygate’ and the farcical premiership of Liz Truss, as symptoms of a great nation at a turning point yet unsure of which way to turn. And it looks ahead, offering practical solutions to answer the key question of our time: What do we need to do to build a better future?’The most compelling, lacerating description of the Muppet Show that is British public life I have yet read.’ Will Hutton‘There can be no book more urgently needed than this one.’ Steve Richards

Britain is better than this

Emma — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

An urgent and timely exploration of a British political system in peril – and what we must do to save it.For centuries, British identity has been shaped by ideas of exceptionalism, grandeur and competence. Yet British democracy is failing. Governments supported by a minority of voters are elected with enormous majorities under a deeply unrepresentative first-past-the-post system. The result has been failed leaders delivering wounding blows to the country’s economy, prosperity and international image.Britain Is Better Than This explores what lies beneath this sense of malaise, revealing the structural and constitutional failures at the heart of a sclerotic political system. It sheds light on a culture of lies, distrust andcorruption. It reveals fundamental flaws in core institutions, including the media, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It draws on events such as the MP expenses scandal, Brexit, ‘Partygate’ and the farcicalpremiership of Liz Truss, as symptoms of a great nation at a turning point yet unsure of which way to turn. And it looks ahead, offering practical solutions to answer the key question of our time: What do we need to do to build a better future?’The most compelling, lacerating description of the Muppet Show that is British public life I have yet read.’ Will Hutton’There can be no book more urgently needed than this one.’ Steve Richards

How Britain Ends

Emma — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

‘An eloquent, forensic examination of resurgent English nationalism as the force that has driven Brexit and may now break up the United Kingdom’ Jonathan Coe

‘A fascinating book that draws on poetry, literature and on-the-ground reporting’The Times

‘A wonderful book which will be quoted in years to come’New European

In the past, it was possible to live with delightful confusion: one could be English or British, Scottish or Irish, and a citizen/subject of the United Kingdom (or Great Britain). Now this archaic state is coming under terrible strain. The English revolt against Europe is also a revolt against the Scottish and Irish, and the pressures to declare Scottish independence and to push for a border poll that would unite Ireland may become irresistible.

Can England and Wales find a way of dealing with the state’s new place in the world? What constitutional, federal arrangements might prevent the disintegration of the British state?