The Guardian Bookshop makes over 180,000 books available with up to 40% discount, as well as highlighting some of our favourite publications in each genre.
Find out more.
Now in paperback, this is a detailed exploration of the formal powers of the Prime Minister, and of how each incumbent has made the job his or her own. From recently declassified archives he reconstructs precise prime ministerial attitudes to peace and war, and concludes with a controversial assessment of the relative performance of each prime minister since 1945, and a new specification for the premiership as it enters its fourth century.
Synopsis
Explores the formal powers of the Prime Minister and how each incumbent has made the job his or her own. Drawing on unparalleled access to many of the leading figures, as well as the key civil servants and journalists of each period, the author has built up a picture of the hidden nexus of influence and patronage surrounding the office.