Telling a human tale

Christopher Silvester | Issue 7 | Comment, Culture & Travel, Magazine, Uncategorised

From the Archive

House_of_Commons_Chamber_1

From self-lacerating memoir to by-election madness and a Labour Together takedown, The Mace’s literary editor Christopher Silvester rounds up the latest political books.

Iain Dale, the journalist, publisher and LBC phone-in host, has edited a remarkable collection of essays called British By-Elections: The 88 By-election Campaigns That Shaped Our Politics (Biteback, £30). British by-elections, he explains in his preface, “often seem to take on a far greater political significance than, in retrospect, they really have. “At the time, they can appear to break the mould of British politics, signify the seemingly terminal decline of a particular political party or signal the end of a premiership. Some by-elections take on iconic status and are remembered several decades after they take place. Others quickly disappear into the depths of our memories, rarely to be thought about ever again.” The collection includes essays by historians, political journalists and activists of different political hues. Contributors include Peter Kellner, Sir Vernon Bogdanor, Andrew Marr, Lord Lexden, Sir Peter Riddell, Simon Heffer, David Laws, Michael Crick, Sir John Curtice, T...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.



Out of Office: What does a holiday destination reveal about a premiership?

William Cash | January 16, 2020

William Cash considers Boris Johnson’s Christmas break in Mustique and finds a prime minister’s choice of holiday location to be highly revealing.

Recline and sprawl

Adam Solomons | January 16, 2020

Jacob Rees-Mogg’s languid pose on the Treasury bench launched a thousand memes on social media. Five observers interpret his body language for us.

Treasury still wields too much influence, says ex-Commons clerk

Eliot Wilson | January 16, 2020

This fortress at the heart of Westminster acts as if it owns the public finances and such a monopolistic attitude is deeply damaging.

DC Confidential: Isabella Mikki

Isabella Mikki | January 16, 2020

Our Beltway insider on why Republicans are worried about Trump’s loneliness

What If: The Greens had Won

Siân Berry | January 16, 2020

Imagine there’s no Boris and Siân Berry, co-leader of the Green Party, has been handed the keys to No 10. Clearly there’s going to be a few changes

Inside the Cummings Revolution

Adam Solomons | January 16, 2020

How much can Whitehall’s antiquated government offices learn from the Palo Alto tech giants?

Dominic Cummings Special

Gina Miller: ‘There were whistleblowers on the Miller II case: they’re scared’

Christopher Jackson | January 16, 2020

Gina Miller blows off on government whistleblowers

The Strategist: at home in DC with Steve Bannon

William Cash | January 16, 2020

In an exclusive from DC, William Cash finds Steve Bannon in combative form as he reveals what he’s learnt about strategy from Thucydides

Steve Bannon Campaign Hashtag Digital

The Jackdaw: Staffers Had It Hardest

Marie Le Conte | January 16, 2020

Over the last year we’ve seen dozens of MPs switch parties or go independent. But how does such an unexpected move affect their hard-working staff?

The Mace guide to being a novice MP

Brooks Newmark | January 16, 2020

Still finding your way around the Palace? Not sure where to sit in the Chamber? Former minister Brooks Newmark is here to assist