Our Kingdom Reviews is a place to discuss the ideas and thinking shaping the democratic future of the UK. We will have regular weekly book reviews, as well as reviews of pamphlets, lectures and research papers contributing to the debate on what is currently (but for how long?) Brown's Britain. In the spirit of Our Kingdom, this is, of course, an open and democratic debate; anyone who feels inspired to contribute is encouraged to get in touch with me at tom.griffin@opendemocracy.net. If it's fair, critical and relevant to the themes of Our Kingdom, we'll publish it (and you might even get a free book!). Also, let me know if there is a publication you want to see covered.
Reviewed so far:
BOOKS
Arthur Aughey on
A Floating Commonwealth: Politics, Technology and Culture on Britain's Atlantic Coast by Christopher Harvie (319pp)
Arthur Aughey on
Imagined Nation: England after Britain ed Mark Perryman (248pp)
Daniel G. Williams on
Raymond Williams: A Warrior's Tale by Dai Smith (514pp)
Paul Kingsnorth on
Who cares about Britishness? by Vron Ware (180pp)
Arthur Aughey on
Real England: The Battle Against the Bland by Paul Kingsnorth (304pp)
Debbie Moss on
From Anger to Apathy by Mark Garnett (480pp)
Peter Oborne on
Who Runs Britain? by Robert Peston (352pp)
John Palmer on
We the Peoples of Europe by Susan George (224pp)
Tom Griffin on
Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland by Jonathan Powell (352pp)
Guy Aitchison on
Race, Identity and Belonging by George Shire et al, Soundings (138pp)
Guy Aitchison on
Constitutional Patriotism by Jan-Werner Muller (147pp)
Rupert Read on
NHS plc by Allyson Pollock (288pp)
Dan Leighton on
Why We Hate Politics by Colin Hay (200pp)
Guy Aitchison on
Affluenza by Oliver James (592pp)
Towards the Light: A Story of the Struggles for Liberty and Rights that Made the Modern West by AC Grayling (336pp)
Peter Oborne on
Best for Britain?: The Politics and Legacy of Gordon Brown by Simon Lee (304pp)
PAMPHLETS
Peter Facey on
Paying for the Party: Myths and Realities in British Political Finance by Michael Pinto-Duchinsky, Policy Exchange ( 64pp)
Andrew Blick on
Swimming with the tide: Democratising the places where we work by Chris Ward and Zoe Williams, Compass (34pp)
Stuart Weir on
Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 5 by Hansard Society (60pp)
Guy Aitchison on
No Overall Control? The impact of a 'hung parliament' on British politics ed Alex Brazier and Susanna Kalitowski, Hansard Society (116p)
Gareth Young on
Beyond the Constitution: Engishness in a post-devolved Britain by Michael Kenny, Richard England and Richard Hayton, ippr (11pp)
Stuart Weir on
You've been Quango'd by Chris Leslie and Owen Dallison, NLGN (42pp)
John Palmer on
Fog in Westminster by Peter Sutherland, Federal Trust (32pp)
Andrew Blick on
An Uncertain Future by Chris Abbott, ORG (20pp)
Jon Bright on
Can we create a new national belonging? by Ben Rogers & Rick Muir, ippr (9pp)
Jon Bright on
Does Britain need a population policy? by Alasdair Murray, CentreForum (8pp)
LECTURES
Debbie Moss on
Constitutional Reform series at the IALS, Keith Ewing.
Our Archive:
BOOKS
Jon Bright on
From Anger to Apathy: the British Experience since 1975 by Mike Garnett
Jon Bright on
Politipedia by Nick Inman
Anthony Barnett on
The Triumph of the Political Class by Peter Oborne
Anthony Barnett on
Towards a New Constitutional Settlement ed. Chris Bryant
The Vision Thing by Sunder Katwala
Jon Bright on
Participation Nation by involve
The House Rules?, Constitution Unit
Towards a New Constitutional Settlement ,Constitution Unit
TV, FILM & RADIO
Anthony Barnett on
The Blair Years, BBC 1
Stuart Weir on
Britz, C4
The Ministry of Truth, BBC 2
The English, Andrew Marr
The Blair Years by Alistair Campbell
Athens: the Truth about Democracy, C4
Taking Liberties dir. Chris Atkins
TALKS & LECTURES
"Renewing Democracy: Are we bovvered?" by Meg Russell
"Bringing Rights Home: Time to Start a Family?" by Stephen Sedley
