Politipedia : a compendium of useful and curious facts about British politics

The ultimate quirky reference work for voters, students and those in the Westminster village. It is ideal for anyone looking to discover where their vote (and money!) actually go, or for those looking for quotes and fascinating titbits. The book aims to capture the entertaining essence of politics without taking up too much of the reader's valuable time. Taking an 'outsiders' view of the system, the author sets out to ask all the vital questions about politics and then attempts to find answers to them - getting to the heart of each subject with brevity and humour. Whilst the intention is not to mock politics or politicians, along the way there may be a few that do take an occasional knock, and the book refuses to be bland or too polite! This is a fascinating work covering the intricacies of politics in the UK. It is packed with curious facts to make readers laugh out loud, and enough intriguing snippets to provoke some lively debate. Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 12 Acronyms......Page 14 Acts of Parliament......Page 16 Alternative Politics......Page 18 Anarchists......Page 21 Animalism......Page 23 Backbench Rebellions and Government Defeats......Page 24 BBC Objectivity......Page 28 Bill Boaks......Page 31 British Empire in the 21st Century......Page 33 Broadcasting......Page 34 Budget on the Back of an Envelope......Page 37 Burke's Brief......Page 40 Business Scandals......Page 42 Cabinet Composition......Page 44 Cabinet Secretaries......Page 46 Cartoons......Page 48 Catchphrases......Page 51 The Chiltern Hundreds and the Manor of Northstead......Page 54 Civil Servants......Page 56 Civil Service Cross-Examination......Page 57 Clichés......Page 61 Coalitions......Page 63 Comedies......Page 65 The Commons is.........Page 67 The Constitution......Page 68 The Constitution According to Bagehot......Page 71 The Constitution in Evolution......Page 73 Days......Page 75 Debates......Page 77 Debates - How to Be Right Because You Are......Page 81 Debates - How to Be Right When You Are Left......Page 83 Decades - A Book a Decade......Page 85 Decades - Issues of the 20th Century......Page 86 Decades - Themes of the Past and Future Century......Page 92 Defectors......Page 94 Democracy is.........Page 96 Demonstrations......Page 97 Demos - Agnew's Ten Commandments of Protest......Page 100 Desert Island Discs......Page 101 Diaries......Page 103 Dictatorial Definitions......Page 105 Diplomatic Definitions......Page 107 Direct Action......Page 109 Discipline in the House of Commons......Page 113 Divisions......Page 115 Downing Street......Page 117 Dystopias......Page 119 Economists......Page 121 Election Milestones......Page 124 The Establishment......Page 127 Eurolovableness......Page 130 Expert Advice......Page 135 Falklands Politics......Page 136 Fathers of the House......Page 141 Fault Lines......Page 142 Fictional Politics......Page 144 Films......Page 146 Free Speech......Page 148 Government Change......Page 152 Great Britons......Page 153 Hansard......Page 155 Heirs Apparent......Page 157 Impossibilities......Page 159 The Influential Unelected......Page 162 Insults - Put Downs......Page 165 Insults - Spectrum......Page 166 Insults - Rude Words......Page 167 Interviews - Saying Nowt......Page 168 Islands......Page 170 Jobs......Page 173 Kids' Politics......Page 176 The Laws of Politics......Page 179 Laws of Politics According to Inman......Page 184 Laws of Politics According to Parkinson and Peter......Page 185 Leaders - the Also Rans......Page 188 Left and Right Spectrum......Page 191 Legacies......Page 196 The Lords......Page 198 Lost Deposits......Page 201 Marxist Pin-Ups......Page 202 Menu......Page 203 Middle England......Page 205 Middle Ways......Page 208 The Monarchy......Page 210 Mouldbreaking......Page 213 MPs' Qualifications......Page 217 MPs' Loyalties......Page 218 Newspeak and Doublethink......Page 220 Nicknames......Page 221 Outmoded political systems......Page 223 A Party League Table......Page 225 (e)Petitions......Page 226 Pilgrimages......Page 228 Plays......Page 233 Prime Minister: Qualifications......Page 236 Prime Ministerial Curiosities......Page 244 Prime Ministers by 3s, 4s, 5s and 6s......Page 245 Prime Ministerial Firsts......Page 246 Prime Ministerial Superlatives......Page 247 Prime Ministers' Names......Page 248 Prime Ministerial Success......Page 249 Prime Ministerial Psychology......Page 251 Prime Ministers: In and Out of Office......Page 253 Prime Ministers: Birth, Background, Education and First Job......Page 255 Prime Ministers: Props......Page 257 Poetry......Page 258 Political Correctness......Page 261 Politician Quotes......Page 264 Politics is.........Page 265 Postmodern Politics......Page 266 Power Is.........Page 268 Predictions......Page 269 Progress, and the lack of it......Page 271 Psephological Shockers......Page 274 The Public Sector......Page 276 Quangos (and Gocos)......Page 279 Reith and Dimbleby......Page 282 Secrecy (Freedom of Information)......Page 284 Secretaries......Page 286 Shakespeare's Politics......Page 287 Slogans......Page 288 Socialism is.........Page 290 Songs......Page 291 Speakers of the House of Commons......Page 297 Speeches......Page 299 Speaking about Speaking......Page 302 Spies......Page 303 Stabs in the Front......Page 306 Strikes......Page 310 Suffrage: One Person One Vote......Page 313 Sun Headlines......Page 315 Systems of Government......Page 316 Thatcherism......Page 317 Theory - Some Footnotes to Plato......Page 320 Theory - Contemporary Thinkers......Page 323 Theory - Two Cows......Page 326 Think Tanks......Page 329 The Today Programme......Page 332 Truth......Page 334 Tumbrill Remarks......Page 336 Turning Points......Page 338 UK Personality Problems......Page 340 Unparliamentary Language......Page 342 Utopias......Page 344 Wars Involving Britain......Page 347 We are all.........Page 351 Westminster, The Palace of......Page 352 Westminster Restaurants and Bars......Page 355 What's Wrong with Government......Page 357 Who Runs Britain?......Page 358 Women In Parliament......Page 359 Writers Turned Politician......Page 361 X-Factor: Making Your Vote Count......Page 363 Yes Minister......Page 365 Zoo......Page 367 Bibliography......Page 370 Webography......Page 374 A reference work for voters, students and those in the Westminster village. Suitable for those looking to discover where their vote (and money!) actually go, or for those looking for quotes and fascinating titbits, it covers the intricacies of politics in the UK. The ultimate quirky reference work for voters, students and those in the Westminster village. The book is ideal for anyone looking to discover where their vote (and money!) actually go, or for those looking for quotes and fascinating titbits