The Fall and Rise of the British Left

Praise

“Of all the analyses of Labour’s astonishing 2017 General Election performance, Andrew Murray’s provides a detailed explanation of the road the British left has taken to reach touching distance of power. This is a brilliant book—a must read not just for academics but for every party activist.”
—Len McCluskey, General Secretary of Unite the Union

“An in-depth examination of how a full-blooded version of socialism moved from the fringes to the centre of British political life.”
—Choice

“This studious and succinct account of the politics of the left is essential reading for any socialist navigating the dangers of political life as progressive ideas are tested in the real world.”
—Morning Star

“For insights into the Corbyn mindset [this] new book could be invaluable for those unfamiliar with Labour’s enduring civil war … The enduring theme is how the left was underestimated.”
—Jim Packard, Financial Times

“Uniquely insightful in its appraisal of both the prospects and limitations facing the Corbyn project … A rich and needed intervention into the mass movement currently pushing for a humane society in Britain.”
—Marcus Barnett, Jacobin

“A lucid, perspicuous account of how Thatcherism—and its subsequent enablers under New Labour—broke the progressive left, and how the left returned from the margins of political life, the book is an honest reckoning with both the promises and limitations of socialism.”
—Gavin Jacobson, New Statesman

“Excellent … you should read this book because it is not just charting the history of the recent past, but it also charts the likely course of events in the future.”
—Counterfire