Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip

by Simon Hart

The instant Sunday Times Bestseller

‘A remarkable insight into a critical moment. Hart’s wit and tolerance makes his record of a system in crisis all the more convincing and troubling’ – Rory Stewart, author of Politics On the Edge

From Partygate to Brexit, over the course of five years, Simon Hart had a front-row seat to the most turbulent times in recent political history. Lifting the lid on the British Government, Ungovernable is the first insider account of life as chief whip.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, Brexit negotiations and Liz Truss’s extraordinary forty-nine-day premiership – Simon Hart’s seen and heard it all. And starting in 2022, under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, he witnessed successive dramas unfold, all while holding down the (often misunderstood) position of chief whip.

Astonishingly, during those whip years, Simon oversaw a near-record fifteen Conservative MPs fall by the wayside. Three of these were resignations, including Nadine Dorries and the scandal of her disappearing peerage; two were defections to Labour; and the remaining ten were suspended by Simon for offences ranging from Matt Hancock’s unauthorized appearance on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! to Lee Anderson’s comments about the London Mayor. Each one of these involved an extensive build-up, a complicated process and a noisy and vitriolic public commentary.

None of this stopped him from becoming one of the few chief whips – of which there have been eleven since 2010 – to survive for an entire premiership.

In a first-of-its-kind, extraordinary look at life as a chief whip, Ungovernable is a revealing, real-time, blow-by-blow account – offering a glimpse of what truly goes on in Westminster behind closed doors.

The Sunday Times Top 5 Bestseller at no. 3, w/b 10/03/2025

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Biography, Diary, Leadership

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 27, 2025

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed this political book charting events and background of the last Parliament of the Conservative government

[Scott Russell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting in parts, but a thoroughly unlikeable and bitter man.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

If these were my diaries I wouldn't want them published

[Jamad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Simon Hart’s Ungovernable offers an insider’s account of the chaos and dysfunction of recent Conservative governments, with plenty of revealing anecdotes along the way.

However, the first part of the book, covering Hart’s time as Secretary of State for Wales, is somewhat pedestrian. His account lacks the sharpness and insight of later chapters, reading more like a routine ministerial diary than a gripping political memoir. When he moves on to the later years of Conservative rule—particularly the Johnson and Truss administrations—the book becomes much livelier, though also more self-serving.

One of its weaker points is Hart’s tendency to fall back on tired clichés. The predictable jabs at Labour’s supposed lack of humour and the usual complaints about “lefties” disliking this or that feel stale rather than incisive. This sort of commentary adds little to the book and makes it feel at times like a predictable exercise in political score-settling.

Hart also comes across as entitled, with an overabundance of references to meals at exclusive restaurants and political gossip exchanged over fine dining. While some of these details might help illustrate the culture of Westminster, their frequency gives the impression of a politician too caught up in the perks of office.

Overall, Ungovernable is an interesting but flawed memoir. It offers an entertaining window into the dysfunction of recent governments but is weighed down by its author’s predictable partisan jabs and a tone that sometimes veers into self-congratulation.

“The problem with the hard left, and the hard right for that matter, is they always believe that the voters are stupid, or deaf, and that any future success is dependent on just shouting the same message, only louder.”

“PMQs was bleak. The PM offered what was a sort of minimalist apology but his excuse – he thought the party at the centre of the current revelations was a ‘work event’ – was greeted with guffaws from the other side, the worst kind of response possible. We have moved from anger to ridicule. Our side sat in stony silence, whilst the opposition could barely contain their joy. They hate Boris more than they hate most of our leaders. For a start they can’t understand how a raffish Old Etonian can possibly be popular. The ‘Labour user’s manual’ instructs people to hate anyone who went to public school (except their own), increasing the resentment if the guilty party is also clever and funny. ”

“Oh dear. It emerges my good friend Neil Parish [Tiverton and Honiton] is the MP caught looking at porn in the Chamber. His twenty-three years as an MEP and MP go up in smoke in an instant.
The press has gone nuts and is much more fixated with this than they are with Putin. Labour and Lib Dems are (as ever) brimming with indignation and synthetic outrage, calling for his head. They seem oblivious to the process Parliament has set up to give everyone a fair hearing and to deal with these things ‘in the cold light of day’. They also conveniently forget the numerous occasions on which some of their people have been caught in similarly tricky positions.”

“This is probably the biggest moment of change the country will witness for a very long time and will define our politics for a while too. When everything else seems so unpredictable, the presence of the Queen, even to those sceptical about the monarchy, provided a sense of security.”

[Kenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good fun. Insightful at times. A lot less dirt, even within the bounds of defamation law, than I imagine a chief whip’s book could have.

[Tom Ricketts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 11 of 2025.

Simon Hart is strongly opinionated throughout which is refreshing at times and I often found myself agreeing with his assessments of political drama and selfishness in the government. Hart provides an open and insightful account of his time as Chief whip (more interesting than his section as SoS for Wales) ensuring it was a good read. Arguably the most exceptional element of the work is Hart’s humanisation of the individuals he worked closely with (and liked hence choosing to show their good side) which is most obvious in the case of Rishi spending 40 minutes with a young girl weeks before she died of brain cancer. Anecdotes like this show the human side of politicians regardless of whether they are on the right and left and needs promoting more in a world where politicians are ridiculed and derided to an extent few other careers (if any) receive.

However at times the Hart can come across as overly opinionated and consistently disregarded Labour opposition leaving some of his views quite predictable by the end of the work. Starmer and Rayner are derided as characteristically poor in their performance in Parliament every time it they are mentioned and hence Hart demonstrates the single mindedness he accuses the left of. Whilst the position of Chief Whip seemed to suit Hart and the insights were fascinating I got the impression he did not enjoy and was potentially not a good fit for the SoS of Wales job as he treated welsh affairs more as an inconvenience than his driving political passion.

[Rufus Liverman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Takes a really long time to actually get going, somewhere in the middle is very good with Hart showing the entitlement of mps that expect peerages but Simon Hart is just abit out of touch some of the things like (Sunaks trans gender comments when the family of murder trans gender women was in the audience ) that he just brushes off which is very annoying. Also his idea of what a good PMQs is, Starmer destroyed sunak and truss many times but he doesn’t acknowledge this. Overall not a bad book but I was glad to finish it

[Stephen Fay]

DNF at 20%, not gonna. I don't think this book is of much interest to anyone who's not a politician or in the UK. It assumes the reader has too much context. Even for me and I lived through this time, and have relatives in UK. I guess I should have seen that coming.

[Martin Dubéci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nečitateľný edit, zápisky, fragmenty.
Veľmi zaujímavé ak ste práve predseda nejakého poslaneckého klubu, alebo **detailne** UK politiku.

Opäť sa mi však potvrdzuje moja hypotéza: všetky parlamenty sú desivo podobné.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

*AUDIO BOOK*

Super interesting insight into all of the messy machinations of no.10 and Westminster — but my GOD what a shitshow! has definitely destroyed any optimistic shred of faith in HM government…

[Leon Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly accessible read in two distinct parts: the first, covering the authors times as Secretary of State for Wales is a little pedestrian, the second covering his time as Chief Whip much more engaging.

The book really does highlight the tiredness that eventually captures all governments but shows the fundamental decency of those around Rishi Sunak in his period of high office and has one of two laugh out loud passages.

Well worth a read for any political anorak.

[Théo R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting insider's account of recent political history, including Covid, the Truss government, the fall of the Torys etc.

The writing itself is OK, has some dry passages, and the use of initials everywhere (JR, RS, JRM, MC, BC etc. etc.) can get confusing at times. The context is what gives substance to the content and the form.

I agree with other reviewers that it doesn't paint a very positive picture of the author himself:
- I was surprised by how little he writes about doing actual work (especially when he was SoS Wales): it's all parties, events, lavish dinners with journalists. No meetings with constituents, no preparation, nothing of substance.
- Very tribalistic views on Labour & Lib Dems, every passage that mentions one of their members is dismissive and negative.
- Brushes off situations involving sexual harassment, bullying, tax fraud etc. - often comments about giving those MPs second chances, or how they "will and should come back from this".

As one reviewer note "if those were my diaries, not sure I'd want them published"...

[Jerry Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want a refresher about the 2019-2024 bit of the last Tory government from the perspective of a moderately senior MP, this is your book. If you also want to get a clear picture as to how that government went from large majority to abject defeat in such a short time, the answer is also here.
In these pages you will find a selection of politicians whose entire interest is themselves. Their alliances, their promotions, their image in the press, their position in the political world. There are barely any mentions of constituents or the wider public who are impacted by the work MP’s do.
These people literally live in the so-called Westminster bubble. Here’s a classic example;
‘In a packed Pugin room for a drink with Therese Coffey about hunting trophies. It’s by far the best drinking hole in Parliament. …. we are treated like long-standing guardians of a decent members club, which I suppose we are. … All human life passes through here daily’
The author clearly has a highly rarified view of what constitutes ‘all human life.’

[Alex Mann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saved from one star because there is some interesting stuff about the role of the whips at the end but this is a slog. The author is very unlikeable - even as someone who voted Tory in 2019, he is perfect and everyone else is wrong, with many insults and jibes that are gratuitous and stereotyping. I know these are diaries so you show a bit of grace, but he chose to publish them. For the most part just superficial commentary on the events of the day rather than too much genuine insight. Also makes me wonder how much of our money is being spent on food in fancy restaurants. Maybe journalists and special interests pay. Anyway, skip it, this book has nothing substantial and will be forgotten very quickly.

[Rosie Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part I enjoyed this book. The self serving and self entitled nature of not only the party, but also the author (seemingly only partially self aware of this), provided a clear insightful to into the party psyche. I was partially frustrated during his time as Secretary of State for Wales where I felt he seemed uninterested in fighting for the interests of the people he should be serving. However, that theme ran through the entire book. The second half of the book was better and gave an interesting account of life in government. It didn’t move mountains, but it did keep me entertained.

[Eddie Lees · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shines at several levels.
First, for we members of the voting public in any democracy, Simon Hart candidly reveals the dark underbelly of many who, once elected, reveal their true natures; we confront naked self-promotion, shallowness, and betrayal.
Second, we get a clear picture of how democracy really works … and how the political sausage is made; it’s not pretty.
Third we are treated to exceptionally good writing - this is a page turner.
Fourth, we are exposed to the realistic art of the possible - fascinating.
Finally, we see through the author’s eyes, history being made; and what a messy process it is.
Highly recommended … a book to dip into for insights on every page.

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Occasional glimpses of internal workings of the Mother of Parliaments give this book some value- but the author emerges as a shallow personality with a limited grasp of language (a strongly marked dependence on juvenile lavatorial expression), and so many suspiciously post hoc “judgements” - I mean, asides which seem to have been added in order to show that he always knew at the time when someone or something was probably wrong!
I accidentally rated this as 3 stars when in fact 2 would have been generous.

[Amy Riddell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hart doesn’t do himself many favours here, unless the main goal was to show himself (and his party) to be just as out of touch, arrogant, self-interested, odious, sycophantic, and brazenly stupid as the wider British public were already convinced posh tories were

I also enjoy how little Audible cared about the presentation of this, leaving in Hart’s awful narration which contained numerous technical problems and mispronunciations. I don’t think the private education you take great pride in referencing in this book is worth that much if you can’t pronounce the word ‘ally’ correctly, Simon x

[Patrick Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is interesting in some ways detailing what it was like inside numerous cabinets and in an interesting time for the nation. I wish it had more explanations as to how the whips operate, at the start of the book it stated Simon worked often with other parties whips but then no real examples given in the book. Some of it became slightly tiring too, downplaying every Tory incident in office and the constant same old left wing are humourless and boring etc. Overall interesting enough but leaves more to be desired!

[Loz Archer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting in parts, but in general it is a perfunctory and dull diary from a thoroughly unlikeable man. Whenever he meets people whose lives are less easy than his own, if they dare to complain about anything he labels them "chippy". Urgh. Horrible man, who could have been forgiven if he had translated this exciting era into some kind of interesting narrative, but alas not. It's filtered through privilege and dullness and it is all so very bland.

[Nicolas van der Leuven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book feels like a missed opportunity. While Hart’s role placed him at the heart of all sorts of political turmoil, his reflections remain guarded, avoiding deeper analysis. The diary format, though lively, often lacks the depth and introspection that might have made this a truly compelling political memoir.

For Westminster-watchers, Ungovernable is an interesting glimpse behind the scenes. But those hoping for sharp insights will likely be a little disappointed.

[Alexander Jobling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that shows you the messy bits of politics but at the same time tells you how they’re not all getting caught in brothels or sex scandals. The view on how government works and the lack of support for MP’s, their staff and house staff is insightful and shines a light that tends to only get lit in the scandals as an after thought.

[Michael Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most entertaining. At some points surprisingly open; at others frustratingly opaque. The one change I would suggest is less use of acronyms and initials. It is hard to remember them all. However, Simon Hart writes well and there are moments of genuinely amusing revelations as well as jaw-dropping behaviour. Do read, you will not be disappointed.

[Kate Pullman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A frequently flippant diary with little to no insight or reflection. I was disappointed and would have preferred the author to give more analysis of the situation or at least some clear opinions! I learnt little more than is easily available in the usual media. The use of acronyms is frequent and unnecessary, at times making it tricky to read.

[Paul Snelling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always interesting to read/listen to these sorts of books, but his role in government was pretty peripheral and his dairy entries short on detail, so it adds little to what we already have elsewhere. There's a few juicy tidbits in the section about being chief whip but hardly worth the waiting. Slim pickings.

[Ben Hegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into the world of the whips office in Westminster. The fact that it covers covid and the years around it makes it all the more interesting. Easy and enjoyable reading. some diaries are a paragraph, others are a couple of pages. It is well written and laid out. I'd highly recommend this book.

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lackluster and perfunctory. The author comes across as a prig, holier than thou and is not much better than the MPs he derides and criticises. I'm not convinced that this is a contemporaneous record and to some extent it seems pointless publishing it.

I was hoping for more gossip but that's lacking.

[Michael Crouch · Rating 3 out of 5]

In places this book felt like a whinge-fest and an attempt to rewrite history. It is also in desperate need of a glossary of abbreviations, or even a more thorough proof read to ensure that abbreviations are defined upon first use! Something to think about if it's reprinted!

[Hannah Camilleri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Simon Hart showed a modicum of self reflection on his and his party’s part in their recent catastrophies and it is full of interesting stories and tidbits. However, Hart is quite clearly a bit of a misogynist and a bit unpleasant.

[Sian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting to a degree but the acronyms got too much in the end - I couldn't remember which person was being written about from about half way through the book, which devalued the information. A glossary of acronym's would have helped.