Kenneth O. Morgan

I like the fact that Kenneth (what an excellent name!) Morgan wears his political allegiance so openly - there is little more annoying than someone professing complete neutrality whilst espousing a political line

This reading of the period from 1945 to the present day has much to commend it, a natural bias against the Tories is understandable, given the mess that they, with the help of New Labour, have made of this country. The said New Labour comes out of this version of history FAR too show more well, in my humble opinion. Corbyn's best result, since Blair poisoned the Labour Party, is seen as a minor protest vote whilst Tony's bellicose period of government is seen as a slight indiscretion.

The main point that comes from this work is that the vast sums spent on gaining nuclear weapons, in a vain attempt to keep Britain at the top table, has lead to the rapid fall in our wealth and position in the world. show less

There are several criteria by which I judge a biography; does it tell me things that I did not know about a person, did it put him/her into their historic time frame, and, perhaps the most oft missed, does it highlight weaknesses, as well as salute achievements?

This book comfortably complies with all of the above list AND goes on to achieve the extra distinction of adding to my reading list. This book has lead to me purchasing five more tomes, immediately, to garner more information about show more people and events mentioned en passant within this work.

Michael Foot was born into a Liberal family and began his political life as part of that party. He was soon to realise that they did not hold the same ideals as himself and, as a young man, found a niche on the left wing of the Labour Party. This approach to his political outlook had the advantage that he was not in awe of the Russian style communist dictatorship, as were so many other Labour idealists. This was to lead Foot into clashing with Tony Benn, the other pin up of the Labour left.

Through the late seventies and eighties, Benn became a figure head for the Militant grouping which inveigled its way into the Labour Party. Militant would take over a quiet backwater Labour Constituency Party and extract the middle of the road committee, replacing them with Militant supporters. Needless to say, this did not lead to a more electable party.

By the time that Michael Foot became leader, in 1980, the Labour Party was seen as unelectable and a new party, the Social Democrats, were expected to replace them. Michael took on Benn in a way that would have been unacceptable from a leader of the right, and neutralised his power. Although the next General Election saw the worst results for Labour, since the 1940's, the fightback had started and, under Neil Kinnock the boat was eventually steadied.

Foot was not only a politician, he was also a journalist, not just in the political sphere, but also in Literary circles. He has produced books on Byron, Hazlitt and Swift, all worthy of their place on any bookshelf. He was still writing into his eighties and retained an interest in the Labour Party where he was delighted to see Tony Blair (hardly a protégée, although, Blair admits to having been influenced by Foot) become Prime Minister.

As you can see, Foot was more Banquo than Macbeth. show less

Read the last sentence. "Therecord since 1945 suggests tghat it is highly imjprfobably that the British people will play anything like the major role in the affairs of mankind inthe twenty-first century that they have done so frequently, if often unavailingly in the course of the twentieth". The author uses 516 pages to get to this conclusion, all the political biggies, a bit of culture, economics to come to this conclusion. Makes this once proud seat of empire seem pretty sad. Probably a show more good survey of a little over 50 years. show less

Scholarly but dull and dry. Even when I've used it as a reference for point topics, I've never found it to be of great help or insight. I know it flies in the face of many who are far more versed in history than I, but it's one of my least favorite history books.