People Like Us

The first ever female private secretary to any British Prime Minister, Caroline Slocock had a front-row seat for the final eighteen months of Margaret Thatcher's premiership. A left-wing feminist, Slocock was no natural ally and yet she became fascinated by the woman behind the Iron Lady facade and by how she dealt with a world dominated by men. As events led inexorably to Thatcher's downfall, Slocock observed the vulnerabilities and contradictions of the woman considered by many to be the ultimate anti-feminist, and witnessed the astonishing way in which she was brought down by her closest political allies. In this vivid first-hand account, Slocock reflects on the challenges women still face in public life and concludes that it's time to rewrite how we portray female leaders. A remarkable political and personal memoir, People Like Us charts the dying days of Thatcher's No. 10 and reflects on women and power, then and now.