Robert Spain reviews Richard Berry, Independent: The Rise of the Non Aligned Politician, (Societas, 2008, 154pp).

"Why don't they get people who people is heard of. Why don't they get, like, Frank Bruno standing... the good thing about celebrities is you know what they is like. Otherwise you get an MP and then you find out after a year that they is, like, you know, sleeping with horses." Ali G interviewing Tony Benn.

In a case of life imitating art, one of the corollaries of the recent MPs' expenses scandals is the possibility that Esther Rantzen might become my local MP. I am not sure that I know what she stands for nor am I convinced that an election campaign based around the need to combat sleaze would necessarily enlighten me. Yet in constituencies across the country something similar is a possibility. David Cameron attempted to harness this feeling and limit the threat it poses to the Tories, when he promised to "refresh" his party by allowing independents with no Tory experience to stand for selection as MPs.

Richard Berry's somewhat presciently timed book examines the phenomenon of independents, focusing upon successful independent candidates, at both national and local elections. The cases covered are all from during Tony Blair's premiership, a commonality not properly explored in the book: although Berry makes the point that independent candidates have been gaining support since 1997, he also notes in passing that some will claim that "this is a rather routine phenomenon for British politics". The sparse use Berry makes of statistics means that he does not conclusively prove his case but he does open up some interesting questions, showing that from 1997 to 2005 independent candidates received a rising percentage of votes in general elections and reminding us that almost 50% of mayoral elections have been won by an independent.

Robert Spain (London): Gordon Brown's fascinating transformation from "Stalin to Mr Bean" has forced him to offer to stand down after the next general election (which, following Glasgow East, may be sooner rather than later). Tony Blair made a similar promise in late 2004 after serving seven years as Prime Minister and with a maximum of 2 years left before he had to call an election (in the event the election was held only 8 months later). Brown has already been forced to make this promise 1 year into his tenure and up to 2 years away from a general election. Blair's offer was intended to strengthen his position and ensure his unpopularity did not count against Labour at the ballot box. While the second aim was successful, the first was not. Soon influence began to seep away from 10 Downing Street - most of it next door. There is every reason to suspect that in Brown's case this seepage will be worse. A lame-duck Prime Minister desperate to win just 1 general election is not an ideal state of governance. An important question, therefore, is how to resolve it.