Kingmaker

Secrets, Lies, and the Truth about Five Prime Ministers

Sir Graham Brady

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Hardback

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English

ITHAKA PRESS
04 February 2025

Biography: historical, political & military; History; Elections & referenda; Political corruption

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR

THE BESTSELLING INSIDER STORY OF WESTMINSTER'S BLOODIEST POWER BATTLES

'Myths are debunked, prime ministers exposed and secrets revealed ... essential' The Times

'Refreshingly honest' The Telegraph

'Entertaining and approachable' The Spectator

David Cameron. Theresa May. Boris Johnson. Liz Truss. Rishi Sunak. Five prime ministers, one explosive memoir. Kingmaker lifts the lid on the leadership battles that have defined British politics

The last fourteen years have seen turbulence at the centre of politics that is perhaps unique in British history. From coalition to Brexit, Covid to Partygate, Trussonomics to this year's election, our government has never felt so fractured. And as Prime Ministers have come and gone, one man has been at the heart of every leadership challenge, seeing all, but saying nothing. Until now.

Sir Graham Brady was the Chairman of the 1922 Committee since 2010. As the leader of the group with the power to choose a new leader of the Conservative Party, it was his hand that held the executioner's axe over five consecutive Prime Ministers' heads.

Elected to Parliament in 1997 as the youngest Conservative MP in the house, Brady comes from a lower middle-class background and fell into politics age 16 when he joined a campaign to save his grammar school. This book is the story of how a boy from Salford came to be the definitive political insider.

With unique access to every key decision-maker of the past fourteen years, it offers insights into the character and choices of successive Prime Ministers and the administrations they led. Ultimately, it reveals where our most recent leadership failures originate, and asks hard questions about who will be fit to lead us tomorrow.

By: Sir Graham Brady
Imprint: ITHAKA PRESS
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 240mm, Width: 162mm, Spine: 31mm
Weight: 544g
ISBN: 9781804188262
ISBN 10: 1804188263
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 04 February 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Born in Salford in 1967, Sir Graham Brady was elected to parliament in 1997 as the youngest Conservative MP in the house. Brady served as a Shadow Minister under four Conservative leaders before resigning in 2007 in protest at David Cameron's opposition to grammar schools. He has been Chairman of the 1922 Committee, the group which selects the leader of the Conservative Party, since 2010. During his tenure as 1922 Committee chairman, Brady has overseen the election of three Prime Ministers - Theresa May, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak - as well as votes of no confidence in May and Boris Johnson. Kingmaker is his first book.

Reviews for Kingmaker: Secrets, Lies, and the Truth about Five Prime Ministers

'Few memoirs in Westminster have been as anticipated ... No wonder it is titled Kingmaker: it could have been subtitled And Executioner ... Has the immediacy of a diary ... There are plenty of good stories here ... refreshingly honest' -- Christopher Hope * The Telegraph * 'Awaited with bated breath by political insiders ... Kingsmaker takes a near inverted format to the recent slew of former Prime Minister's autobiographies' * Tatler * 'Deliciously bitchy' * New Statesman * ''Kingmaker provides an invaluable service to history ... reminds us how important personal relationships are in politics' * The Critic * 'Historians who wish to understand why we had five PMs in rapid succession ... will find this book invaluable' -- Andrew Gimson * Conservative Home * 'An engaging romp through a turbulent time' * Times Literary Supplement * 'Brady has done historians a service ... his coverage of the sometimes highly complex events of 2010 to 2024 is entertaining and approachable ... [Kingmaker] deserves to sell' -- Alex Burghart * The Spectator * 'By turns waspish and bone-dry, Graham Brady is a charming guide to the mortal combat that was the Conservative Party 2015-2024. Myths are debunked, prime ministers exposed and secrets revealed. As long as the Tories exist, his book will be essential. * The Times * 'Entertaining and approachable (and a useful reminder of the details and madnesses of the time)' * The Spectator * 'Highly readable, this book provides a great insight into the reality of political life and the difficulty for leaders of staying in office in difficult times' * The House magazine *