The Importance of Being Awkward: The Autobiography of Tam Dalyell

by Tam Dalyell

In this memoir, based on personal papers as well as official documents, veteran Labour Party member Tam Dalyell looks back over a lifetime of dedicated service to West Lothian and Linlithgow, UK. Touching upon various topics, from Dalyell's outspokent criticism of Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair to the Gulf War of 1990 and the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, this insightful, witty, and urbane book offers a unique perspective on many of the key moments in Britain’s political life throughout the last 50 years.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2011

About the author

Sir Thomas Dalyell, 11th Baronet, FRSGS, known as Tam Dalyell, was a Scottish Labour Party politician who was a member of the House of Commons from 1962 to 2005. He represented West Lothian from 1962 to 1983, then Linlithgow from 1983 to 2005. He is particularly well known for his formulation of what came to be known as the "West Lothian question", on whether non-English MPs should be able to vote upon English-only matters after political devolution. He was also known for his anti-war, anti-imperialist views, opposing the Falklands War, the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War.

Reviews

[Stephen Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Tam retired from Parliament I wrote to him and hoped that he would take time out from his bee-keeping to write an autobiography. The result six years in the making has a mixture of local interest stories from the West Lothian perspective plus a look at many of the key points in history to which he contributed. It shows how often he was on the ball on key issues but was overlooked. Well worth the read.

[Mark Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, Tam Dalyell has been one of our better politicians during my life so far, and long being considered a member of the 'awkward Squad' myself by various friends and acquaintances, eventually getting round to this autobiography was a no-brainer. Along with Tam's book on Richard Crossman, biography's of Tony Benn, Michael Foot and Dennis Skinner, this book has helped put into context (for me) events that took place immediately after the end of world war two and on on into the 1980's when I became more interested and aware of politics generally. I'm about to finish this and have found it an interesting read about the life of an honest man who asked the 'awkward' questions those with power like to avoid- RIP Tam Dalyell.

[H Govan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting insight into an impressive career and segment of society. Well worth a read if nothing else because thoght one has a tendency to say things were better back in my day, Tam clearly describes the work of MPs and politics in general that do not bear much comparison to today's alas. Though a staunch anti-devolutionist I would love to have discussed whether an independent Scottish government has any chance of recovering a more representative and genuine politics or whether the rot has set in such that the current lamentable state of Westminster would merely be replicated in the North.

[John Hayward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone inclined to back twice-in-this-generation Scottish Indepdendence Referendum should read the paperback intro.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard Tam Dalyell speak at Aye Write last year and enjoyed his well-informed cantankerousness. I liked this book too, but the last two-thirds are far more interesting than the first third, which focuses on a rather tedious list of his ancestors and schoolteachers. Once it gets going, it casts an intriguing light on some well-known controversies and a few less famous ones. Its chronology is slightly odd, as he picks out episodes without always linking them to each other or following an obvious timeline. But he's an unusual and genuine politician and this is worth a read.