Must Labour Always Lose

Since 1970, Labour has won power in just 4 of the 14 general elections. This angry, passionate book asks why Labour is so good at losing elections and so unhappy and edgy when it does win. Denis MacShane joined the Labour Party in 1970, and has held every office at local party level. He stood for the Commons aged 26. He served as an MP for 18 years and was Minister of State for Europe. He draws on experience, meetings with Labour leaders from Jim Callaghan to Jeremy Corbyn, and his personal diaries kept when in the Commons as he tries to answer the question: Why is Labour so keen on fighting internal battles and so useless at winning power? Denis MacShane's book is full of observations that are witty, personal, and exasperating. They offer insights and pragmatic guidance. Based on the hard lessons he's learned, MacShane offers twelve pragmatic suggestions for turning Labour into a party of power as well as protest.