More on Politipedia

What's the point of the book? Foremost: to entertain the reader. It's a book to dip into and browse through not read cover to coverr. Each item is self-contained. My ulterior motive is to show that politics can be a rivetting subject and that it is a vital, inescapable human activity.

Who's it for? The general reader; but it will have a more obvious appeal to people who are interested in or involved with politics, especially denizens of the Westminister Village and to students and teachers of politics. I will be happy if it awakens the interest of just one person who is not normally interested in politics.

Why am I qualified to write it? I have a degree in politics from Bristol University but my main working method was to see myself as an outsider – a Yorkshireman or a Martian – approaching the political system with no prior knowledge. What, I wondered, would be the vital questions to ask and answer.

Is the information reliable? The tone may sometimes be jokey, but this is a factual book. A few unfortunate errors slipped through the editing process – I hope only 4 – and I will gladl ypoint them out to any reader (or reviewer) who emails me.

Did I fit everything in? I had to be highly selective with the contents. I had enough material to make the book half as long again but it's already long enough.

Why is it only about British Politics? It is and it isn't. A quarter to a third of the book is about politics in general. But it was easier to keep the focus on one political system. One day I hope to compile an international version.

Is there a political bias in the book? I certainly hope not. I went out of my way to approach the subject with balance and I had an excellent editor who made sure I didn't misrpresent any shade of opinion.

A more personal take on British politics. Interview about the book on Tory Radio

Last updated January 2008.
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