At last I can reveal the book project which I have been dropping hints about on Twitter over the last few weeks. Peter Watt, you may remember, was General Secretary of the Labour Party throughout the Cash for Honours period and the election that never was. He was forced, by Gordon Brown, to resign his post following the David Abrahams 'Donorgate' affair. This is his story, which my company, Biteback is publishing. And believe you me, it is quite a story.
The book isn't published until 25 January, but over the next couple of weeks, starting tomorrow, the Mail on Sunday will be publishing extracts from it.
Some will say that it's ironic that I am publishing the book, bearing in mind some of the things I wrote about Peter at the time. He's obviously a very forgiving person! The book is a cracking tale and is written by Peter in co-operation with top political journalist Isabel Oakeshott.
When their agent sent me the book synopisis and two sample chapters I could hardly believe what I was reading. Virtually every page elicited an "Oh my God" or something stronger. But the great thing about the book is that it doesn't read as though it is motivated by any desire for revenge. It is a deeply - and at times very moving - human story, and one which anyone who has ever worked for a political party will easily relate to.
I can't reveal any contents of the book until they appear on the Mail on Sunday website, but believe you me, you won't be disappointed.
You can order the book from Amazon HERE.
13 comments:
Just when someone thought a bad week couldn't get any worse. Will some regret not acting on the coup?
And the spoilers at the BBC and Number 10 have already swung into action. Heavy emphasis on Watt's anger at the way he was treated, no rebuttal (direct or otherwise, strangely) of the factual content. The usual smearing of the messenger.
A contemptible way of avoiding the actual issues - which we have come to expect from both establishments. One wonders whether the BBC is completely suicidal or whether it genuinely believes that things will be the same after the General Election. Either way, the BBC must be regarded as entirely partisan.
How many of the 'core' Labour vote of 30% will actually read this book or care?
I dare say the 'Westminster village' will be greatly exercised by it but out there in the rest of the country I suspect it will have no bearing on anything.
I really hope I'm wrong and the Tory vote goes up but I think everyone is just so fed up with politics, especially as it appears the new expenses rules look like being watered down.
Miliband could not have agreed to move without backing from Mandelson. Mandelson would not agree without backing from the EU.
We literally have a puppet government.
(wrong thread?!)
'Some will say that it's ironic that I am publishing the book'
Another delicious irony-serialising it in the MonS !
"For Peter Watt to reveal that he was aware of the donation arrangements and yet did nothing about it until the Mail On Sunday broke their story is beyond belief"
(George Osborne 27 Feb 2008)
"How many of the 'core' Labour vote of 30% will actually read this book or care?"
"How many of the 'core' Labour vote of 30% will actually read this book or care?"
How many of the core Labour vote can read ?
To vote for this lot you have to either be in their pay or be a complete moron.
. . . and so the plot thickens! Early start tomorrow!
I think that Peter Watt was very smart to use you as his Publisher. No one is better at New Media publicity than you and you're sure to generate huge interest=sales before it hits the high street book shops.
(By the way that's a compliment)
"They are also the words of either a liar or an incompetent fool."
Although obviously you have a much higher opinion of him now he is prepared to betray his former colleagues for money.
Jimmy - I just love your comments, they always bring a burst of laughter!!
You must be very very well paid to keep trying to justify this pathetic shambles masquerading as a government!!
The rest of us just loathe, abhor, despise, condemn, detest, and plain hate them. And that spills over to those ludicrous idiots who regurgitate their mind numbing platitudes.
Just thought I'd mention it, I'd really hate for you to be surprised when you get the kicking you deserve.
Yep, and entirely predictable comments from the likes of Jimmy who continue to believe that personal attack is a substitute for rational discussion. We can expect the vilification machinery to be cranked up to max revs today.
Apparently Brown is too busy masterminding the weather to deal with these matters. He's organising the supplies of salt and gas, it seems. Well maybe the best place to be for the next week or so is in bed under a pile of duvets.
As to betrayal, well Brown and his apparatchiks have betrayed this country for virtually no money at all. Treachery comes very cheap in their circles.
"You must be very very well paid"
Thank you Michele. I'll definitely have to pass that on.
Unsworth,
The quote of course was from Iain's earlier assessment of his newest "author", although I suspect it's not one you'll find on the dust jacket.
Post a Comment