Beyond A Fringe

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Winner of the Parliamentary Book Awards 2021 Best Biography, Memoir or Autobiography

Veering from the hilarious to the tragic, Andrew Mitchells tales from the parliamentary jungle make for one of the most entertaining political memoirs in years.

From his prep school years, straight out of Evelyn Waugh, through the army to Cambridge, the City of London and the Palace of Westminster, Mitchell has passed through a series of British institutions at a time of furious social and political change in the process becoming rather more cynical about the British Establishment. Here, he reflects on the perils and pleasures of loyalty, whether to a party, to individuals or to ones own principles.

He brilliantly lifts the lid on the dark arts of the government Whips Office (Whipping, like stripping, is best done in private) and reveals how he accidentally started Boris Johnsons political career and later naively backed him to be Prime Minister an act which rebounded on him spectacularly.

Engagingly honest about his ups and downs in politics, Beyond a Fringe is crammed with hilarious political anecdotes and irresistible insider gossip from the heart of Westminster.

'This is an unusual memoir honest, self-deprecating and rich in anecdote. A fundamental streak of decency runs throughout.' Chris Mullin, The Spectator

'One of the several merits of this highly engaging memoir is the light it shines, often entertainingly and sometimes shockingly, on how ghastly that establishment can be.' Andrew Rawnsley, The Guardian

'A wonderfully funny book.' Daily Telegraph

' A cracking good read full of mischief and shrewd observation' Gyles Brandreth

'With a wry self-awareness and sense of the ludicrous, this is a thoroughly refreshing personal and political memoir.' Bob Geldof

'Honest and insightful, Beyond a Fringe taught me loads I didnt know about how the other side works. A brilliant read.' Jess Phillips

Reviews

"A cracking good read - full of mischief and shrewd observation. Mitchell lifts the lid on so many layers of the British Establishment, and what he reveals will often make you laugh and occasionally make you want to weep. A human and political must-read." Gyles Brandreth

Author Bio

ANDREW MITCHELL was educated at Rugby and Jesus College, Cambridge. He was an officer in the 1st Royal Tank Regiment, serving with the United Nations military forces in Cyprus. Prior to entering Parliament, he worked for Lazard in London. As the MP for Gedling from 1987 to 1997, he served in John Major's government, including in the Whips' Office during the notorious Maastricht debates. Re-elected to the House of Commons for Royal Sutton Coldfield in 2001, he served as Secretary of State for International Development from 2010 to 2012 and as Chief Whip in 2012. He is an active member of the House of Commons and a fierce defender of his constituents. He is also a fellow at Cambridge University, a visiting fellow at Harvard University and an honorary professor at the University of Birmingham. He lives in London and the Midlands with his wife, Sharon, with whom he has two daughters, Hannah and Rosie.