I just posted a review on Goodreads and Amazon of Chris Mullin’s account of life inside the Labour government.
A View from the Foothills by Chris Mullin My rating: 4 of 5 stars
As an insider’s view of life as a Labour MP and, at times, as a junior Minister (transport and environment/Africa), this is a compelling read. The diary format is easy to dip into – and that had been my intention – but I found I was hooked and could spend many hours reading; it’s not a slimline book! The inner workings of government are fascinating: Mullin has a particular dislike for the poorly written speeches he was expected to deliver; the excesses of Ministerial cars and the fact that, as a Junior Minister, it seems impossible to actually get anything done. It’s interesting to see that a relatively small number of MPs – mainly those nearest the Prime Minister – can actually do very much at all; the rest are expected to tow the party line. Mullin was not that close to The Man, but he certainly has a different view than most of us. Of most interest historically, of course, are the discussions that led to the UK’s support of the Iraqi war, but if you’re interested in how much of government works, this is possibly better positioned than some of the bigger names.