Product Description

From Fleet Street to the world of medicine, from the City of London to the corridors of power in Whitehall, Scots have exerted a determining influence on key areas of British life since the Union of the Parliaments. Now that Scots dominate Westminster and run their own parliament in Edinburgh, is the tartan takeover complete? In this controversial new book, the writer and BBC journalist David Stenhouse asks whether the Scots have enacted nothing less than a Caledonian capture of the British State. Through revealing interviews with some of the most successful Scots in London - including Jim Naughtie, Tam Dalyell, Sheena McDonald, Kirsty Wark, William Dalrymple and Katie Muir - On the Make shows how citizens of the poorest part of the United Kingdom have gained unprecedented influence over British politics, the media the church and commerce. But success has not always led to popularity. While ambitious Celts have always encountered resentment from the English, Scots at home also often view their successful brothers and sisters down south as selfish careerists who have abandoned their country for the lure of English gold. With English commentators beginning to question the power of the Scots as never before, this hard-hitting new book takes a challenging look at exactly how much power lies in Scottish hands in today's devolved United Kingdom

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #217299 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 272 pages

Customer Reviews

Cracking Read
As a London based Scot I often wondered why no-one had written a book about Scots down here. Now someone has and its a great read!This book looks at Scots in Government, Scots in journalism, and Scots in the English law. I had never realised what an impact we'd made in London and it's changed a lot of my views.
Best of all its a riot to read, really well done with a nice light touch, and the choice of cartoons is funny too.
Completely recommended.
From a homesick Scot, in the heart of WC1.

Controversial but Incotrovertible
This book's suprising premise is that there has, over the past few centuries, been a stealthy invasion of our capital city by savvy, sleekit scots, who have taken all the best jobs and most influential positions (in some cases having set up the relevant institutions in the first place - A Labour government is one thing, but The Bank of England? Surely that at least we can claim as our own - Evidently not). More surprising is the way in which the premise is entertainingly and convincingly argued by an author who has a clear and easy style and no axe to grind. On having it recommended to me by a friend, I was reluctant to read what I thought would be a volume of Caledonian bombast and flag-waving. However, this is a highly interesting and entertaining book, which would appeal greatly to anyone with even a passing interest in the History of London, or of the Scots for that matter.

An eye opener
I never read books about politics but after I saw this one in the paper I bought it - and its a real eye opener. I never even realised that Tony Blair was Scottish but it turns out that the Scots have taken us over and we never even realised!
It's a really readable book and just shows that we need an English parliament. I'd like to read what else this author has written.