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Semi-Detached
Immensely respected on both sides of the House, John Biffen was a man of charm, wisdom and intelligence. Celebrated as one of the cleverest and nicest politicians around, he brought to the Conservative benches one of the most original economic minds of his generation. Biffen served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Secretary of State for Trade, but it was as Leader of the House of Commons that he really made his mark. Over time, he found himself increasingly at odds with the divisive nature and style of Margaret Thatcher's government. Thatcher was unreceptive and he was slowly frozen out. In sacking Biffen from her Cabinet, she lost one of the more human faces of her government. With its candid account of the subject's battle with depression, this fascinating autobiography, with extensive extracts from his unpublished diaries, is a portrait of great humanity and determination set against the backdrop of public life. Semi-Detached revisits dramatic and poignant moments from Biffen's personal life and from the corridors of power, presenting a moving and penetrating portrayal of one of the twentieth century's most remarkable politicians.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2012
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June 19, 2014
This was a very engaging and down to earth account of Mr Biffen's life growing up on a farm, his service in the army and onto university, and into politics and senior positions in parliament via manufacturing jobs in Birmingham.
He was born into rural community with his parents owning and working a small farm in Somerset. This sheltered childhood before and during WWII was for me the real gem of the book as he so handsomely describes the rurality & the hard lives that farming was in 1930s Britain. Ironically with the Second World War came better times through fixed prices and the helping hands in the shape of the Land Army girls.
He describes his time in the army as a National Serviceman, which although not a wholly happy time, did help him mix with people of all walks of life and helped shape him as a man.
He then progresses to university going up to Jesus College at Cambridge. This for a boy/man of books - I am sure Mr Biffen would have been a Goodreads member - was a time of enjoyable study but also a blossoming of social skills, making friends and having the start of a social life; albeit limited but for a shy man this was adventure like his time on active service in the Canal Zone with the army. His interest in politics continues to grow and he joins Cambridge University Conservative Association, which sees him act as chair and meet many people he will work with in later life.
He moves to industry working for a tubing manufacturer in Birmingham and seeing and experiencing roles on the shop floor as a grounding to him being involved in management and sales.
Elected as an MP in 1961 and early life in Parliament sees Mr Biffen making strides but also battling depression - an ever present struggle throughout his adult life. Enoch Powell, Edward Heath and many other heavyweights of 1960s and 1970s Westminster feature, and so into 1979 he is placed as Cabinet Secretary in Mrs Thatcher's new government. Here his career moves ahead and amongst the little funny stories such as storing potatoes in his red box (the formal box that contain cabinet papers for ministers), he oversees Murdoch's purchase of the Times and ST to being a lone voice in the cabinet against military action over the Falklands.
The political career is a fascinating read - all bound around his nervousness as a man and MP and the ever present depression. He moves from Trade to Leader of the House and again shows his diplomacy and skills whilst also being frustrated with his colleagues, including the PM (Mrs Thatcher).
In the final years of his parliamentary career - he bows out in 1997 at the close of the Major Government. His final act is to act as seconder for Betty Boothroyd (Labour) to become Speaker of the House of Commons. An inspired choice given the heavyweights from his own party who showed interest or stood - and indeed Mrs Boothroyd was to become a fine speaker who followed Bernard Wetherill, himself a excellent speaker.
He moves to the House of Lords and is an active member but as he says misses much of the life and vigour of the Commons, although debates are he intelligent and interesting.
All in all this is a gentle memoir of a gentleman who served in Thatcher's governments, was a eurosceptic, eschewed military action and served his constituents well.
It is not heavy of gossip, but does paint some interesting pictures of colleagues and opponents - many of whom he was friends with or respected - as well as describing cabinet meetings, his home life and his worries and concerns.
For his last seven years he suffered renal failure and missed much in the Lords because of his daily dialysis treatment. John Biffen died in 2007 just three weeks after his last visit to Parliament in August of that year.
Today he is probably not as well known as some of Mrs Thatcher's first cabinet but his book is worth reading to learn of that time but also a man who loved books and overcame much to be successful, without grandstanding or arrogance.
He was born into rural community with his parents owning and working a small farm in Somerset. This sheltered childhood before and during WWII was for me the real gem of the book as he so handsomely describes the rurality & the hard lives that farming was in 1930s Britain. Ironically with the Second World War came better times through fixed prices and the helping hands in the shape of the Land Army girls.
He describes his time in the army as a National Serviceman, which although not a wholly happy time, did help him mix with people of all walks of life and helped shape him as a man.
He then progresses to university going up to Jesus College at Cambridge. This for a boy/man of books - I am sure Mr Biffen would have been a Goodreads member - was a time of enjoyable study but also a blossoming of social skills, making friends and having the start of a social life; albeit limited but for a shy man this was adventure like his time on active service in the Canal Zone with the army. His interest in politics continues to grow and he joins Cambridge University Conservative Association, which sees him act as chair and meet many people he will work with in later life.
He moves to industry working for a tubing manufacturer in Birmingham and seeing and experiencing roles on the shop floor as a grounding to him being involved in management and sales.
Elected as an MP in 1961 and early life in Parliament sees Mr Biffen making strides but also battling depression - an ever present struggle throughout his adult life. Enoch Powell, Edward Heath and many other heavyweights of 1960s and 1970s Westminster feature, and so into 1979 he is placed as Cabinet Secretary in Mrs Thatcher's new government. Here his career moves ahead and amongst the little funny stories such as storing potatoes in his red box (the formal box that contain cabinet papers for ministers), he oversees Murdoch's purchase of the Times and ST to being a lone voice in the cabinet against military action over the Falklands.
The political career is a fascinating read - all bound around his nervousness as a man and MP and the ever present depression. He moves from Trade to Leader of the House and again shows his diplomacy and skills whilst also being frustrated with his colleagues, including the PM (Mrs Thatcher).
In the final years of his parliamentary career - he bows out in 1997 at the close of the Major Government. His final act is to act as seconder for Betty Boothroyd (Labour) to become Speaker of the House of Commons. An inspired choice given the heavyweights from his own party who showed interest or stood - and indeed Mrs Boothroyd was to become a fine speaker who followed Bernard Wetherill, himself a excellent speaker.
He moves to the House of Lords and is an active member but as he says misses much of the life and vigour of the Commons, although debates are he intelligent and interesting.
All in all this is a gentle memoir of a gentleman who served in Thatcher's governments, was a eurosceptic, eschewed military action and served his constituents well.
It is not heavy of gossip, but does paint some interesting pictures of colleagues and opponents - many of whom he was friends with or respected - as well as describing cabinet meetings, his home life and his worries and concerns.
For his last seven years he suffered renal failure and missed much in the Lords because of his daily dialysis treatment. John Biffen died in 2007 just three weeks after his last visit to Parliament in August of that year.
Today he is probably not as well known as some of Mrs Thatcher's first cabinet but his book is worth reading to learn of that time but also a man who loved books and overcame much to be successful, without grandstanding or arrogance.
Displaying 1 of 1 review