Blue Murder
On sale
28th September 2023
Price: £24.99
				‘BRILLIANT’ ANDREW MARR
‘HAD ME OPEN-MOUTHED WITH AMAZEMENT’ ED BALLS
 
‘ESSENTIAL‘ JON SOPEL
‘A GRIPPINGLY WRITTEN, DETAILED BOOK THAT ANSWERS SO MANY QUESTIONS’ ISABEL HARDMAN
‘SUPERB’ EVAN DAVIS
The explosive full story of the past dozen years of Tory rule, from coalition to self-destruction; fully updated to include the general election.
   
Over the last decade, the British people have seen five different Conservative Prime Ministers, with five different missions and five messages to the nation. From the ashes of a financial crisis, to a break from the EU, to a global pandemic, governments – and ideologies – have changed, but Tory power has clung on. Merciless rebellion and the swift ousting of leaders have enabled this, and yet the same ruthlessness may ultimately bring about their downfall.
Witty, hair-raising and brilliantly sourced, Blue Murder links as never before stories of betrayal in Cameron’s Coalition, the rifts behind the Referendum, the travails of May, the chaos of the pandemic, the sagas of Johnson, the Truss implosion and the Sunak patch-job.
  
Through his unique access and unmissable inside stories, acclaimed Westminster journalist Ben Riley-Smith’s explosive account is essential for anyone wondering how the Tories kept changing, kept revolting – and kept winning. For readers of Tim Shipman and Rory Stewart, this is the first, fullest and frankest story of the entire Tory government.
Previously published as The Right to Rule
		‘HAD ME OPEN-MOUTHED WITH AMAZEMENT’ ED BALLS
‘ESSENTIAL‘ JON SOPEL
‘A GRIPPINGLY WRITTEN, DETAILED BOOK THAT ANSWERS SO MANY QUESTIONS’ ISABEL HARDMAN
‘SUPERB’ EVAN DAVIS
The explosive full story of the past dozen years of Tory rule, from coalition to self-destruction; fully updated to include the general election.
Over the last decade, the British people have seen five different Conservative Prime Ministers, with five different missions and five messages to the nation. From the ashes of a financial crisis, to a break from the EU, to a global pandemic, governments – and ideologies – have changed, but Tory power has clung on. Merciless rebellion and the swift ousting of leaders have enabled this, and yet the same ruthlessness may ultimately bring about their downfall.
Witty, hair-raising and brilliantly sourced, Blue Murder links as never before stories of betrayal in Cameron’s Coalition, the rifts behind the Referendum, the travails of May, the chaos of the pandemic, the sagas of Johnson, the Truss implosion and the Sunak patch-job.
Through his unique access and unmissable inside stories, acclaimed Westminster journalist Ben Riley-Smith’s explosive account is essential for anyone wondering how the Tories kept changing, kept revolting – and kept winning. For readers of Tim Shipman and Rory Stewart, this is the first, fullest and frankest story of the entire Tory government.
Previously published as The Right to Rule
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Reviews
			A wonderfully written canter through an extraordinary decade and a bit. Highly recommended		
	
			Future historians will take Ben Riley-Smith's lucid and riveting book as their guide		
	
			Expertly explains how a governing party mainly skilled in backstabbing survived in power		
	
			A sharp insider account of the long Tory reign		
	
			A brilliant encapsulation of thirteen years		
	
			Essential		
	
			A grippingly-written, detailed book that answers so many questions		
	
			Insightful, authoritative and incredibly readable. It had me open-mouthed with amazement		
	
			Superb		
	
			Marvellous . . . Packed with insight, gossip and candid reflections from the major players		
	
			Terrific. Not all political books are page-turners. This really is. It will be a while before it's bettered. It is really excellent		
	
			Filled with chaos, rebellion, infighting, backbiting and catastrophe and much more. Interesting . . . a cracking read		
	
			Future historians will refer to this study in cynicism and clever reinvention		
	
			Riley-Smith is an excellent, pithy writer with a knack for a telling phrase . . . it will remain among the best books written about the chaos and carnage of the last 13 years		
	
			A majestic digested read of the last 13 years of Tory leadership, drawing together the threads of fou		
	
			An impeccably sourced insider account		
	
			Colourful and richly researched		
	
			Riley-Smith is an excellent, pithy writer with a knack for a telling phrase		
	 
	
				