Coalition Government

As a student of history and Liberal Party politics,

Three books are covered by this review, Coalition by Mark Oaten's, 22 Days in May by David Laws and Hung Together by Adam Boulton and Joey Jones.

Firstly, it is quite interesting to read what were current events but are already history.  The rush to political memoirs has gathered pace - so that instead of waiting years for notes and recollections, they are availible in months.

David Laws, Lib Dem MP for Yeovil and  one of the Lib Dem negotiating team and has produced an instant warts and all account of events.

It is rather strange, not to say disheartening to see Laws make fun of his own parties policies and internal democracy.  The over whelming impression is that excessive concern was given to "the markets" and the "24/7" media. 

The Adam Boulting and Joey Jones both work for Sky News. Again it is a surprise to see how freely key people were prepared to talk about their part in events.  Probably the best of the books in being more balanced, as long as you can quickly skip through the bits of the book which read like a plug for Sky news and the two authors.  The "row" between Boulting and Alistair Campbell (Labour party spin doctor) goes on interminably and unintelligibly.

tbc