About book Breaking The Code: Westminster Dairies (2000)
There is a rich seam of reading out there for people who enjoy intrigue, scheming and double dealing as part of the plot. This is, of course, the political diary. I was drawn to this one by seeing the author on afternoon TV, where he completely takes over any show he’s on with his humour, quick wit, puns and wordplay all the way up and down the scale and, most famously, his dodgy knitwear. It is the account of his time in the John Major government from 1992 to 1997. Although the book covers a period so long ago, many of the people named and possibly in their view defamed are still in the public eye, just about. The author gives one or two reasons why he became an MP, but at the end I thought that his main aim was to have the experience knowing that it was something that very few will have, again similar to his jumpers. My second hand copy (50p well spent by the way) had pretty small typeface for the main text, so I gave up after a few pages trying to make out the miniscule notes at the bottom of many of them. Having read the book, I think that it owes a lot, or is owed a lot, by the writers of ‘Yes Minister’ as many of the situations sound familiar. The Tories have a leader that most of them like personally but didn’t ask for, or want in that post. It shows Major as being able to win any debate by his calm and sincere delivery of ever more unworkable policies, but incapable of controlling his MP’s who with very few exceptions, are, to a man or woman, badmouthing any decision or idea that he comes up with when they aren’t (males only) cheating on their wives, taking backhanders or being exposed as having young male ‘friends’ here there and everywhere. The author has many cutting and hilarious; to me anyway, opinions about most of these honourable members while still never actually damning them. He forms the view fairly quickly that there are games to be played and people to impress, or toady up to, for any kind of progression, which he achieves by becoming a whip. Once in this post, and having to deal with colleagues who seem determined to bring down the government either maliciously or carelessly, he frequently reminds the reader he is not making anything up. No spoilers when I let you know that Major didn’t get re-elected in 1997, neither did the author, but suffice to say that this is a book for anyone you know, perhaps even you, who says they find politics boring.
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