The Right to Rule: Thirteen Years, Five Prime Ministers and the Implosion of the Tories

by Ben Riley-Smith

'BRILLIANT' ANDREW MARR

'HAD ME OPEN-MOUTHED WITH AMAZEMENT' ED BALLS

'ESSENTIAL ' JON SOPEL

'A GRIPPINGLY-WRITTEN, DETAILED BOOK THAT ANSWERS SO MANY QUESTIONS' ISABEL HARDMAN

'SUPERB' EVAN DAVIS


The explosive full story of the past dozen years of Tory rule, from coalition to self-destruction.

Over the last decade, the British people have seen five different Conservative Prime Ministers, with five different missions and five messages to the nation. From the ashes of a financial crisis, to a break from the EU, to a global pandemic, governments - and ideologies - have changed, but Tory power has clung on. Merciless rebellion and the swift ousting of leaders have enabled this, and yet the same ruthlessness may ultimately bring about their downfall.

Witty, hair-raising and brilliantly sourced, The Right to Rule links as never before stories of betrayal in Cameron's Coalition, the rifts behind the Referendum, the travails of May, the chaos of the pandemic, the sagas of Johnson, the Truss implosion and the Sunak patch-job.

Through his unique access and unmissable inside stories, acclaimed Westminster journalist Ben Riley-Smith's explosive account is essential for anyone wondering how the Tories kept changing, kept revolting - and kept winning. This is the entertaining and dramatic account of our times, for anyone wondering how Britain got into this state.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Audiobook, British Literature

410 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2023

Reviews

[Geevee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben Riley-Smith has provided a very well-sourced and interesting look at years and prime ministers of the title. He has sourced numerous interviews, many with himself, with MPs of both parties, civil servants, special advisors (SPADs) and others, as well as using other sources such as the parliamentary record, Hansard. The PMs covered in this thirteen year period are David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

The book doesn't set out to provide a full overview of each prime minister's tenure (except the very brief period of Truss between Johnson and Sunak), but more the important events/points relating to each premiership.

As such the coalition government in 2010 with the Lib-Dems features with some fascinating insight into the negotiations to form an administration. The decision to hold the Brexit referendum looms large, including Cameron's resignation when the Leave vote wins, as does the events after. Notably the parliamentary wranglings as to when and what would Brexit be - aka May and her "Brexit means Brexit" slogan, and her decision to go to the country in a general election. Again, the background and insight provided is engrossing.
Following this, comes May's denouement and the rise of Johnson following the 2019 GE and his huge 80 seat majority with Covid and Brexit taking centre stage. More insight and information from the author gained from his interviews makes for fascinating reading, as does the eventual end of Johnson's time in No10 thanks to "Partygate" and the falling apart of his personal office and the characters within. Truss then appears, and once again, the readers gets good insight into how the Conservative party both dispatches and elects its party leader (and thus PM). Truss's election as leader is quickly followed by the "mini budget" and the days leading to her resignation. Next up, the, in essence, coronation of Sunak and his own campaign to win and his attempts to change (once again) Conservative government direction.

Overall, a cracking read and should anyone think political books are dull, do try this. It will, for supporters of all parties, give a good illumination on how government works (or doesn't) and what people close to the centre have to say about their leaders and the people they share the House of Commons with.

[Paul Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amiable, spiky review of the 14 years of Conservative government, all the way up to last July when they were demolished and now have the smallest number of MPs ever in their long history. Will they ever come back? Well, Labour itself was demolished in the 80s then became the demolisher in the late 90s only to be turfed out in turn; so it goes, the jolly carousel of party politics. And if the Conservatives are done for, their replacement will be Nigel Farage and the Reform party, not a pretty sight, can’t say I would relish that.

(It's true to call Labour's tremendous Commons majority a "loveless landslide", hardly anyone voting for them had joy in their hearts, they were all voting against the Tories, not deliriously for Labour. )

But Labour's enormous majority of 156 means that they are there for the next five years, and there will be no clownish Boris Johnson moments and no Liz Truss style implosions and no three prime ministers in three months comedies. You might have hated the Tories but at least they were entertaining. But now politics in Britain will become a lot duller, not a bad thing.

My least favourite thing in January was : hearing Conservative MPs on the news fake-angrily denouncing the incompetent Keir Starmer (the Farmer Harmer) for not doing something in six months that they didn’t do in 14 years.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailed and informative book about the Conservative governments 2010-24 from coalition brexit and landslide to near wipeout in 2024

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and thoroughly researched, this is a worthy summary of the last 13 years in political life.

However, I would argue that the aftermath of Brexit, particularly its negative economic effects, are completely ignored.

I also think the author pulls his punches on Johnson’s and Sunak’s records. No mention is made of the billions of pounds wasted in poor procurement decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to Johnson’s negative poll ratings. Sunak’s write up waxes lyrical about his strengths, but underplays his obvious weaknesses and struggles connecting to the British public.

[Jacob Stelling · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good summary of Tory rule from 2010-2023 highlighting the psychodrama which has characterised the period of government under five different prime ministers.

I expected there to be more long-term analysis in there, but I did enjoy the focus on different flashpoints rather than being a continuous narrative which ensured that the material being mentioned was different to similar books on the period.

[braith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book examining the previous 13 years of Tory leadership in the United Kingdom.

[James Beech · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read!

[Andrew Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very readable trip through the last 13 years, with some great insights. However it’s lack of judgement and analysis of the byproducts of all that time is astonishing. No mention of the destruction of our living standards, the NHS, our justice system and our children’s services that this whole self indulgent, self serving mess of a government generously bequeathed us common folk. In fact reading this you’d think the last 13 years have been an absolute riot and not a self inflicted cataclysm that’s rendered the country as economically and intellectually powerful as stack of rotting, unused PPE equipment, manufactured by the owner of Matt Hancock’s local pet shop.

The kindness with which the author treats Boris Johnson in particular is bewildering. He is apparently a ‘Great orator’ (just google Boris Johnson Peppa Pig World and you’ll be easily dissuaded of that notion), deeply thoughtful and misunderstood. His ‘bravery’ through his bout of Covid gets several pages (fortunately no one else suffered with Covid so that’s ok then) but there’s no mention of his insistence on handshaking, ‘Let the bodies pile high’, Jennifer Acuri, his amnesia over his number of children, partying with the sons of ex KGB agents and what you could cautiously call his ‘uneven’ relationship with the truth.

Truss likewise seems only to be a victim of the keenness of her intentions, and not as anyone with the barest semblance of a neural cortex might think, an absolute lunatic. Gavin Williamson is a political operator extraordinaire. Grant Shapps an analytical and intellectual powerhouse. The list goes on.

Despite all my remainer lefty liberal metropolitan elite anti growth coalition pro-blob ranting I can’t deny this is a fascinating and engrossing book. But it enrages just as much as it engages. Maybe in twenty years time we’ll all look back and laugh about what a crazy old time it was, but for now it’s all a bit too close to home for its architects to be treated so benevolently.

[Iain Snelling · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good clear summary of the Tory years from 2010. Briad and engaging but lacked depth. Good journalism. What an absolute bloody shambles these years have been. A bunch of charlatans, very few ministers who served deserve any credit.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-sourced and competently-written court history. Chooses to omit any assessment of the most destructive government in modern memory.

[Jon Margetts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A reasonable narrative of the Conservatives' thirteen years in government, the main thrust of which being their ability shapeshift from One Nation-Tories to Brexiteers, big government spenders, free marketeers, and then back to moderate centre-rightists.

Many of the stories around Brexit, May's electoral collapse, the COVID years and so on have already been told in closer detail elsewhere, so the book is less of a 'reveal-all' but a neat bringing together and recap of the past.

The author's (political editor for The Telegraph) sympathies reveal themselves in the oft-times starry-eyed look at Conservative leaders and their policies: Sunak gets a free pass on his divisive social views and he's generally venerated as a workaholic God amongst mortals, 2010-15's radical cutting of public services is downplayed, and the explosive harm of leaving the EU is left unexplored. Even Boris and Truss are stalwartly defended: Boris was unfortunate in being derailed by the pandemic (sure...) and Lizz, in power for less than 50 days, was only naive in her understanding of economics - not completely illiterate.

But, that's okay - this is a book about the party and its overall approach to governance. The big sweeps and trends are what's important. The final judgment? The Tories can be seen as fractured, having no clear policy agenda, and ultimately hungry for power above all. The enduring trend is a party which will do anything to stay in power as opposed to one fundamentally working for the good of the nation. There's Thatcherism and Blair is - but no Cameronism or Johnsonism. In effect, this is damming. The thirteen years have been one's of managed decline at best, populist waste and chaos at worst.

The author quotes ex-leader Michael Howard in saying that for all the mess the Conservatives caused, it is actually a good thing: it proves the stability of our national institutions and actually got us to Sunak - our saviour - in the end. Right... Just wait till Braverman gets in and we see a swing towards the Republican madness of the States.

Enjoyable stuff, even if some of the content is a bit biased.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished this. It's more interesting about the PMs the author (a Daily Telegraph journo) has little time for — May, Johnson and, of course, Truss. His admiration for Cameron and almost embarrassing closing hagiography of Sunak (which actually reads like a covert job application by Riley-Smith) undermine any claim to objectivity on the part of the author. It's a good book, but greatness is precluded by the failure to consider the dubious morality of the Cameron Osborne ideology-driven axis of evil and the unintentional fin de siecle slapstick of the bumbling that has characterised Rishi's inevitably brief number 10 interlude. ⭐⭐⭐

[Jesse Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is everything you'd want in a mildy gossip-y reconstruction of all the highest-drama moments from 13 years of Tory government in the UK. Riley-Smith clearly has great sources, and he feels even better connected than other reporters who run this material in their recent books. The writing here is what you'd expect from any similar book of "ripped from the headlines" political reportage -- but it's his ability to recreate the tense stakes that makes this account especially fun. He reserves judgement and maintains authorial distance as much as he can -- but it's clear that he admired some of his subjects, like Theresa May. The book's section on her is among its best.

[Geoff Gobbett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed read. The author had many interviews and resources that recounted the disastrous reign of the Tories. Interesting to hear how each of Prime Ministers fell. Written a year ago and thus the latest election results were then a possible 18 months away. The author was sympathetic to the Tories, having been a journalist with the Telegraph. This weakened the book in that he showed a remarkable naïveté in holding the hopeful possibility of Sunak’s success the coming election, where the retribution of the British People was expressed, with a loss of 250 seats. This had been on the cards since Boris fell. The Tory Press have a lot to answer for.

[Joseph Pickels · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good book, but not a great one. It has good tidbits and sourcing which political junkies will love. But it doesn’t break any real, new ground. Tim Shipman’s 4-part series is superior in depth (though the 2nd and 3rd books are too technical on Brexit) and posture. The general thesis is solid but I think the 05-10 period, and indeed the Coalition years, could have been expanded upon. That set the ground work for what 2015-2024 became. My view is those sections were rushed through. Then again, the point of the book is the Fall, not necessarily the Rise, even if both are in the title. And it the book covers the Fall particularly well. Would recommend, but probably wouldn’t read again.

[Andy Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben Riley-Smith has written an excellent account of the modern-day Tory party and its parliamentary rise and decline over the past decade and a half. At points fighting like rats in a sack, through open revolt and then farce, he charts the course of the party’s leaders and what drove them to the electoral wipe out they endured earlier this year. Full of on-the-record quotes and anonymous briefings to the author, this book is well worth reading by anyone with an interest in current politics and how we got to where we are today. Recommended.

[Tom J · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely fantastic. if there is one lesson to take from this book, it's that the hard right is entirely populated by colossal idiots who should be kept away from any type of power. the rare times that an adult seems to be in power are instantly undercut by the braying crowds of drunken toffs screaming that they should leave the EU, and when one of them gets in the entire thing instantly collapses. very satisfying to read if you're not from the UK, i'd imagine it's a frustrating read if you are.

[Jim Levi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing - I suspect the only people who will read this are those who are interested in and follow British politics - if you do, then there is very little new in this - or any radical insights. The one exception to this is the section on the lead-up to the 2010 election, which did have some surprises. Definitely a book for those wishing to learn about the Tories rather than those of us who are all too familiar with them.

[Thomas Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marked down a point because it’s brilliant and gives utterly compelling and fascinating pictures of the Tory leaders, bar one.

With Truss the author utterly ducks the question we all want to know, is she really that much of a moron? Or is she misunderstood ?

With the other 4 I got a real sense of who they are, their ideology, their personal quirks and their strengths and weaknesses. Not so much with Truss.

Otherwise a good summation of 14 barmy years and lots of great first hand accounts.

[simon powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should have waited a year

Excellent. Very readable. Sometimes revealing but sometimes feeling a bit lightweight. Could probably have been 10 times as long given the chaos of the last 14 years but a great overview of the period with telling contributions from most of the major players.

[Brian Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting walk through the main political characters during the 14 year Tory in power especially the Prime Ministers. The writer is from the Daily Telegraph so some of the writing is rather gentle considering the shenanigans and awful leadership during that period . He is also fairly quiet about Brexit and the impact that has had on the country . Interesting read , nonetheless .

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the behind-the-scenes look at party politics genuinely interesting — the internal manoeuvring, power plays, and quiet deals most of us never see. It offered real insight into how things work beneath the surface.

That said, it was a bit of a slog at times. The pacing dragged in places, and it felt like some sections could’ve been tighter or more focused. A solid read if you’re into political detail, but it didn’t fully hold my attention throughout.

[Matthew Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book, charting the plight of a Tory government of 13 years of rule. Lifts the lid on some of the inside track that I think only a reporter for one of the right wing papers such as Ben (Telegraph) could possibly have access to. You may be shocked by some of the details!

[Stuart Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant account of the last 13 years of Conservative power within the UK. Highlights the reality that our political leaders are totally self serving and have a deep rooted belief of self entitlement....and that political reform in the UK is long overdue.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and forensic, this book dissects the last 13 years of Tory government, with contributions and reflections from pretty much all the key players. By the end of the book you do wonder how they managed to keep staggering on until now…and they’re still there!

[Teddy Dodger · Rating 5 out of 5]

2024 edition very good - best early account of 2024 election including the to-fro on calling it early.

Rest of the work also good - containing insights about each of the five leaders I hadn't heard about despite working/being interested in politics for a long time.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, thorough and very readable account of Conservative govt across 14 year period - despite it covering a lot of ground it didn't feel too jumpy or lacking in depth about key moments (Brexit, COVID etc) - v enjoyable

[Linus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good whistle stop tour on the rise and fall of each Conservative prime minister. Not as extensive in detail as Andrew Rawnsley’s works on New Labour, but the book’s format probably suits its material better anyway.

[Matthew Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this really interesting as I didn’t know much about UK political history from this period and Riley Smith provided a lot of engaging content and straightforward history. If you wanna understand the 2010’s to now in UK politics, this is mad helpful.

[Connor Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

delicious insight to a whirlwind 13 years. writing was strangely repetitive in places but i really enjoyed it