Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Chris Mullin: A Very Publishing Coup

Chris Mullin, who announced a couple of weeks ago that he is standing down from Parliament at the next election, has just sold his diaries to Profile Books. The book will be published in March 2009.

Andrew Franklin, Profile's Managing Director, said: ‘”Alan Clark meets ‘Yes Minister’ . Few politicians can write and there are still fewer I would want to have dinner with, let alone publish, but this book is exceptional. Chris Mullin absolutely can write. He’s funny, honest and, rare for a politician, self-deprecating. Who else would admit to receiving an invitation scrawled with the words, “this is a very low priority. I suggest we pass it to Chris Mullin”? Whether he’s describing life at the Court of John Prescott, the countdown to the Iraq war or his battle with Number 10 over leylandii hedges his book is pure pleasure from beginning to end”.

Chris Mullin says: “I have wasted no time on feuds and vendettas. I cannot claim to have led a life as colourful as Alan Clark or to have been as well connected as Alastair Campbell. My only claim is to have provided a snapshot of political life in the first part of the twenty-first century. Not just who said what to whom, but what it felt like to be there.”

Of course the real question we all want to know is: when will there be a sequel to A VERY BRITISH COUP? I republished the original novel and then brought out the DVD and Chris always seemed open to writing a sequel. Let's hope he does so.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why the delay - this one really SHOULD surface just prior to th econference season

Anonymous said...

If only there were a few more in Parliament like Chris Mullin.

He was my MP until I move house last year - I used to bump into him occasionally through work. He's a thoroughly good sort.

Coincidently, I'm now at Hull University, which is where Chris studied Law, I believe.

Anonymous said...

Good job you're not on a deadline for Top Ten Political Traitors.

Paul Linford said...

A Very British Coup was about a left-wing Labour PM overthrown by the Americans after trying to leave Nato. The logical sequel would have a right-wing Tory PM overthrown by Brussels after trying to leave the EU - but I'm not sure Mullin would want to write it.

Michael Heaver said...

Could be an interesting little read that. Bet Brown's sweating at the prospect of it's publication.

Hell hath no fury like an MP with no need for the job anymore?

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to hearing why he took the ministerial shilling and opposed policies he previously espoused.

Surely a description like "Alan Clark meets ‘Yes Minister’" dooms it from the start?

Anonymous said...

Off topic Iain, but I know how much you love the DWP and data security...

Out of the blue a phone call from them on sunday afternoon - yes, bank holiday sunday. Some lady in a thick almost non-understandable accent saying she was from some company (I've never heard of) working for the DWP and "could I confirm who I was by giving my date of birth."

I think "hang on, its a bank holiday sunday and I get a phone call that sounds just like all those I get from indian call centres trying to sell me dodgy things". So is this a scam where that lost data from the DWP got in hands of people who are now trying it on? Remember I've never heard of this firm or had any letter from the DWP saying I should expect a call.

So was I being scammed or is the DWP expecting people to divulge information to unknown organisations without giving any warning? How many others have been exposed to this monumentally crap approach to security? I think what happened to me needs airing in case others have been so approached.

It seems the DWP have learnt no lessons from the loss of those CDs. Perhaps in it keeness to suck upto Gordon the DWP has placed poorly worded contracts with fly-by-night companies?

Anonymous said...

How many people in this goverment have done, like Mr Mullin, two separate stints as a minister divided by time on the backbenches... letters on a postcard.

I seem to recall reading that when Chris Mullin joined the Government he showed a strong belief in, er, 'work - life balance' and would allegedly infuriate his officials by packing up at 5.30 and going home, leaving his red boxes behind him.

Anonymous said...

islington neil said...
"he showed a strong belief in, er, 'work - life balance' and would allegedly infuriate his officials by packing up at 5.30 and going home, leaving his red boxes behind him."

Sounds too human to be a politician...

Don't forget his work to free the Birmingham Six.

Anonymous said...

Was Chris Mullin the MP who tried & failed to expose those in the political arenas with links to Freemasonary?

Anonymous said...

At the risk of repeating myself a jolly nice fellow let's hope his book sells well.
freedom to prosper