British politics is broken.
Anyone sitting down to watch the news will get a firm sense that something has gone terribly wrong. Prime ministers are misleading and inadequate. Cabinet secretaries are uninformed and deluded. Many MPs are of the lowest imaginable quality. The legislation is sloppy,ineffective and broadly worded. Expertise is denigrated. Lies are rewarded. And deep-seated,long-lasting national problems go permanently unresolved.
Most of us have a sense that the system doesn't work - but do we know how to articulate exactly why
The reality is that despite all the coverage,hardly anyone understands how Westminster actually works. Our political and financial system is cloaked in secrecy,archaic terminology,ancient custom,impenetrable technical jargon and deliberate obfuscation.
How Westminster works...and why it doesn't is an impeccably researched and highly informative account of the reality behind the news stories we read every day. It provides exactly what people in power have always tried to avoid: a description of the mechanisms of government which can be understood by anyone.
Publisher: Orion Publishing CoISBN: 9781399602730Number of pages: 448Weight: 561 gDimensions: 220 x 146 x 44 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'In clear,reasonable tones Ian Dunt lays out why we should all be bloody furious at how badly British politics serves us. Parliament,parties,the media,the civil service and the law are all shatteringly exposed as rusted vehicles of inactivity,where long-term thinking is a dirty idea. How Westminster Works is both an articulate wail of lament and a rousing call to arms'- Armando Iannucci
'With typical incision,wit and flair,Ian Dunt masterfully deconstructs and skewers our corrosive political culture. An indispensable analysis of how we got into this mess'- The Secret Barrister
'A devastating diagnosis of how Britain's political engine has broken down. Everyone in Westminster should read it'- Oliver Bullough
'Ian Dunt is an acute observer of what's gone wrong with our politics and why'- Alastair Campbell
'Thrilling,searing and scathing,but ultimately hopeful that our political system can be rescued from the quagmire that it currently is. How Westminster Works is as gripping as it is brutal'- Adam Rutherford
'A brilliant,surgical book. Ian Dunt is so good at opening up scandals that we ignore because they seem too complicated,bringing them alive and making us furious about them. How Westminster Works is an angry and clear exposition of a system that doesn't make sense'- Isabel Hardman
'A blistering account of the irrationality and sheer absurdity of Britain's dysfunctional political system. Forensic and unflinching,Dunt lays bare the failings of the Westminster machinery,and picks through the wreckage to identify what needs to change to give us a fighting chance of decent governance. If you want to understand why this country is in such an alrighty mess - and what we might do to fix it - read this book'- Caroline Lucas
'The inner workings of Westminster are undeniably important,but making them interesting takes talent - commentators like Ian Dunt are rare and valuable things'- Tom Chivers
Ian Dunt
Ian Dunt is a British political journalist,broadcaster and the author of books including How To Be A Liberal and How Westminster Works...and Why It Doesn't.
Visit the Ian Dunt author page
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