Product Description

The first volume of Paddy Ashdown's acclaimed diaries ended on 2 May 1997, the day after Labour gained its landslide victory and the Lib Dems won more seats than at any time since 1929, with the fateful words: "Tony starts his Prime Ministership with a tidal wave of hope and good will behind him. A new age". But was it? This second volume takes us from that post-electoral euphoria to the moment when Paddy Ashdown, believing he had taken his party as far as he could, stands down as leader. For four years he and Tony Blair had worked closely on a project intended to totally realign the Left in British politics. Ashdown's account reveals that having missed the chance to bring their plan to fruition immediately after the election, he and Blair tried again in November 1997 and once more a year later. It ultimately failed because of Blair's belief that he could not overcome the opposition within his own Cabinet. During their many meetings - some in the midle of the night -Ashdown and Blair built up the closest relationship of any two British political leaders in modern times. Here, for the first time, is the gripping story of their complex and secret talks on how and when Ashdown should lead his party into the government. Intertwined with this tale of high politics, formidable willpower and strong emotion are two other great stories of Paddy Ashdown's leadership: the astonishing truth behind the Lib-Lab pact in the Scottish parliament and his involvement at the very highest level, both in the field and behind the scenes, in the Kosovo war. Candid, shrewd and exciting, the diaries present a vivid inside picture of Westminster, and the most intimate portrait yet of Blair and his government.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #102026 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-16
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 592 pages

About the Author
Before he began his political career, Paddy Ashdown served in the Royal Marine Commandos and the Special Boat Service (SBS) and afterwards as a member of the Diplomatic Service. In 1983 he became MP for Yeovil, and in 1988 won the leadership election for the new Social and Liberal Democrats. In the May 1997 election he led the Liberal Democrats to their greatest electoral achievement since 1929. He stood down as the party's leader in 1999.

Customer Reviews

A true insight into Blair and his Government
This is a fascinating book looking into the first couple of years of the Labour government. I am not too hot on politics but it is a great insight into how Tony Blair and his government works. The interpersonal relationships are fascinating.

It also has excellent side stories, and gives you a glimpse of what it is like to be not only in the public eye but also an ambassador for the Country.

Like Volume 1 the insight into Paddy Ashdown makes terrific reading, the number of sleepless nights left me exhausted!

A great book, about a great public figure!

Paddy Ashdown Diaries 1997 1999
Mostly boring. Yes, descriptions of discussions toward decisions about real matters outside parliament are very interesting. But page after page, day after day, descriptions of every twist and turn of purely political matters, important though they may be, are tedious.

For instance, large chunks of the book are about nothing else but the back and forth arguments, day after day, week after week, between politicians about proportional representation.

I know that such matters are important, and our politicians give much more energy and time to them than one can reasonably expect, but I would like to see much of the book edited out so as to leave the gist.

r0n