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Kingmaker: Secrets, Lies, and the Truth about Five Prime Ministers
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR
THE BESTSELLING INSIDER STORY OF WESTMINSTER'S BLOODIEST POWER BATTLES
'Myths are debunked, prime ministers exposed and secrets revealed ... essential' The Times
'Refreshingly honest' The Telegraph
'Entertaining and approachable' The Spectator
David Cameron. Theresa May. Boris Johnson. Liz Truss. Rishi Sunak. Five prime ministers, one explosive memoir. Kingmaker lifts the lid on the leadership battles that have defined British politics
The last fourteen years have seen turbulence at the centre of politics that is perhaps unique in British history. From coalition to Brexit, Covid to Partygate, Trussonomics to this year's election, our government has never felt so fractured. And as Prime Ministers have come and gone, one man has been at the heart of every leadership challenge, seeing all, but saying nothing. Until now.
Sir Graham Brady was the Chairman of the 1922 Committee since 2010. As the leader of the group with the power to choose a new leader of the Conservative Party, it was his hand that held the executioner's axe over five consecutive Prime Ministers' heads.
Elected to Parliament in 1997 as the youngest Conservative MP in the house, Brady comes from a lower middle-class background and fell into politics age 16 when he joined a campaign to save his grammar school. This book is the story of how a boy from Salford came to be the definitive political insider.
With unique access to every key decision-maker of the past fourteen years, it offers insights into the character and choices of successive Prime Ministers and the administrations they led. Ultimately, it reveals where our most recent leadership failures originate, and asks hard questions about who will be fit to lead us tomorrow.
A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR
THE BESTSELLING INSIDER STORY OF WESTMINSTER'S BLOODIEST POWER BATTLES
'Myths are debunked, prime ministers exposed and secrets revealed ... essential' The Times
'Refreshingly honest' The Telegraph
'Entertaining and approachable' The Spectator
David Cameron. Theresa May. Boris Johnson. Liz Truss. Rishi Sunak. Five prime ministers, one explosive memoir. Kingmaker lifts the lid on the leadership battles that have defined British politics
The last fourteen years have seen turbulence at the centre of politics that is perhaps unique in British history. From coalition to Brexit, Covid to Partygate, Trussonomics to this year's election, our government has never felt so fractured. And as Prime Ministers have come and gone, one man has been at the heart of every leadership challenge, seeing all, but saying nothing. Until now.
Sir Graham Brady was the Chairman of the 1922 Committee since 2010. As the leader of the group with the power to choose a new leader of the Conservative Party, it was his hand that held the executioner's axe over five consecutive Prime Ministers' heads.
Elected to Parliament in 1997 as the youngest Conservative MP in the house, Brady comes from a lower middle-class background and fell into politics age 16 when he joined a campaign to save his grammar school. This book is the story of how a boy from Salford came to be the definitive political insider.
With unique access to every key decision-maker of the past fourteen years, it offers insights into the character and choices of successive Prime Ministers and the administrations they led. Ultimately, it reveals where our most recent leadership failures originate, and asks hard questions about who will be fit to lead us tomorrow.
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Published September 26, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
December 22, 2024
For such an interesting era of politics, from a man which such a fascinating role in them, it was such dull read.
January 7, 2025
One of the most self serving books I have read. Brady manages to make an exciting career sound dull, unsuspensful, and uninteresting.
January 15, 2025
This was an interesting memoir from a man who has had an outsized influence on UK politics in the last 14 years, and offers a really unique perspective on the personalities and logistics which characterised the recent period of Tory rule.
Graham Brady tells the story of his career largely through his relations with the Prime Ministers he outlived, and it was interesting to see how his life shifted as he became more and more well-known amongst the public. The section on David Cameron in particular was interesting, as it offered a behind the scenes look which I felt was the most surprising of the five leaders who were discussed.
However, this memoir focuses largely on the fates of the Prime Ministers in question, and only focuses on a few issues besides, such as Brexit. The reader could be forgiven for thinking that grammar schools were the most important political issue this country faces, given the focus Brady places on their survival throughout his career. I also didn’t feel that the prose captured the tension of some key moments, with a largely monotonous narrative of events when there could have been some suspense injected into proceedings.
Overall an interesting perspective but I didn’t feel it went beyond any surface level analysis of the political characters of our time.
Graham Brady tells the story of his career largely through his relations with the Prime Ministers he outlived, and it was interesting to see how his life shifted as he became more and more well-known amongst the public. The section on David Cameron in particular was interesting, as it offered a behind the scenes look which I felt was the most surprising of the five leaders who were discussed.
However, this memoir focuses largely on the fates of the Prime Ministers in question, and only focuses on a few issues besides, such as Brexit. The reader could be forgiven for thinking that grammar schools were the most important political issue this country faces, given the focus Brady places on their survival throughout his career. I also didn’t feel that the prose captured the tension of some key moments, with a largely monotonous narrative of events when there could have been some suspense injected into proceedings.
Overall an interesting perspective but I didn’t feel it went beyond any surface level analysis of the political characters of our time.
January 25, 2025
Explosive is the right word . Throughly enjoyed how Sir Graham Brady lifts the curtain for the reader. The candour throughout from my favourite MP is remarkable. I especially enjoyed his insights around ‘Dave’ and his character. Sir Graham really was at the heart of the what was a remarkably topsy turfy period of political history that needed to be documented in this way.
November 10, 2024
Although Sir Graham Brady (now Lord Brady) and the 1922 Committee (or the '22) have become ubiquitous with the numerous departures and arrivals of various Conservative PMs over recent years, it seemed a bit much to me to title this Kingmaker, with the image of Brady towering over an eager press throng on the cover. Undeniably, in his tenure as chairman of the '22 and the receiver of the infamous letters of no confidence, Brady has become more famous than he ever imagined, which he note with amusement. But as chairman, he channels the backbench mood to those in power, so his role in the transition of PMs is more in the crowning (and delivering bad news) rather than making them.
The book starts with Brady's early life at home and then grammar school - a fact that has a bearing on his time as an MP, as well as this book. Even as the longest-serving chairman, he probably didn't expect to see 5 PMs come and go - Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss, and Sunak. We see his interactions and opinions on them, although I wasn't sure how much those opinions were formed at the time or in hindsight. There's useful history and context about the '22, giving Tory backbench MPs a voice outside of government. And of course, the letters - plenty of commentary about the submission/withdrawal/tally of letters of no confidence, along with much sneaking in and out of No. 10 without attracting press attention. We also appreciate the personal impact of being an MP and the implications for an MP's family. There are times when, with his wife seriously ill, Brady is single parenting alongside normal parliamentary business, which isn't family-friendly at the best of times.
On the downside, as a beneficiary of a grammar school education, Brady bangs on about them quite a lot, which made me want to eye-roll after a while. Plus, much wine is drunk. And although he strikes me as a hardworking MP, trusted by his colleagues, he did come across as a bit righteous. Also, I expected the book to end with more of a conclusion or reflection on why it all went wrong for the party.
Obviously, Kingmaker is from a single Tory viewpoint. Although interesting to see the workings (and theatrics) of the '22, and the account of someone who witnessed over a decade of tumultuous government from a unique standpoint, if you want a more balanced and entertaining account of the rise and fall of the Conservative party, go for Anthony Seldon's '... at 10' series.
The book starts with Brady's early life at home and then grammar school - a fact that has a bearing on his time as an MP, as well as this book. Even as the longest-serving chairman, he probably didn't expect to see 5 PMs come and go - Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss, and Sunak. We see his interactions and opinions on them, although I wasn't sure how much those opinions were formed at the time or in hindsight. There's useful history and context about the '22, giving Tory backbench MPs a voice outside of government. And of course, the letters - plenty of commentary about the submission/withdrawal/tally of letters of no confidence, along with much sneaking in and out of No. 10 without attracting press attention. We also appreciate the personal impact of being an MP and the implications for an MP's family. There are times when, with his wife seriously ill, Brady is single parenting alongside normal parliamentary business, which isn't family-friendly at the best of times.
On the downside, as a beneficiary of a grammar school education, Brady bangs on about them quite a lot, which made me want to eye-roll after a while. Plus, much wine is drunk. And although he strikes me as a hardworking MP, trusted by his colleagues, he did come across as a bit righteous. Also, I expected the book to end with more of a conclusion or reflection on why it all went wrong for the party.
Obviously, Kingmaker is from a single Tory viewpoint. Although interesting to see the workings (and theatrics) of the '22, and the account of someone who witnessed over a decade of tumultuous government from a unique standpoint, if you want a more balanced and entertaining account of the rise and fall of the Conservative party, go for Anthony Seldon's '... at 10' series.
January 30, 2025
Very open and honest book. Very easy to read and gives great insight into Sir Graham’s views on the five prime ministers he worked with.
July 19, 2025
Intermittently interesting but seems to fall between wanting to be and telling the story. I’d have liked more on either him personally or on the foibles of the targets of those deadly letters.
February 5, 2025
Sir Graham Brady is a conviction politician. His main conviction is that he is one helluva smart guy, and everyone around him ought to listen to his advice.
This is an interesting book, and there's no denying Brady has been at the centre of dramatic events recently. He seems genuinely committed to democratic approaches to leadership elections, and to proper governance. However, it's difficult to warm to his account of one Prime Minister after another failing to take him and his committee sufficiently seriously, while all around him, MPs beg Brady to stand for the leadership himself - which he never does.
There's nothing wrong with a bit of self-confidence, but Brady's absolute certainty in his own brilliance gets tedious after a while. Less fascinating than it ought to have been.
This is an interesting book, and there's no denying Brady has been at the centre of dramatic events recently. He seems genuinely committed to democratic approaches to leadership elections, and to proper governance. However, it's difficult to warm to his account of one Prime Minister after another failing to take him and his committee sufficiently seriously, while all around him, MPs beg Brady to stand for the leadership himself - which he never does.
There's nothing wrong with a bit of self-confidence, but Brady's absolute certainty in his own brilliance gets tedious after a while. Less fascinating than it ought to have been.
March 5, 2025
Grammar Schools, Wine, Hubris, and a man with a safe.
I expected an actual memoir, one detailing a life in public service spanning three decades, successes, failures, personal learnings as well of course as a healthy dose of insider knowledge of the workings of politics.
Instead what the reader gets is one mans obsession with:
1. Grammar Schools - for 30 years.
2. Wine - Have a glass in your hand and drink every time he mentions wine, maybe the book will be more enjoyable. If I were a UK citizen I'd be disappointed knowing this is how time and money is spent by MPs.
3. Hubris: sooo many MPs telling him he should run for PM but he never does.
4. His safe: basically he owns a safe in which he puts letters of no confidence.. this is his claim to fame.
5. Ego: a memoir normally shows a growth arc and development of the author, what they learn, the mistakes they made. It's so reassuring to know he was the only clean politician with the right answers, amendments and policies throughout his career... The ego is staggering.
6. For an MP who claims they don't make much money, having to maintain two properties, it was great to know he spent lockdown Christmas in Antigua with his family, holidays in Croatia, Thailand and Morocco.
A classic case of those confusing proximity to power to actually wielding it.
I expected an actual memoir, one detailing a life in public service spanning three decades, successes, failures, personal learnings as well of course as a healthy dose of insider knowledge of the workings of politics.
Instead what the reader gets is one mans obsession with:
1. Grammar Schools - for 30 years.
2. Wine - Have a glass in your hand and drink every time he mentions wine, maybe the book will be more enjoyable. If I were a UK citizen I'd be disappointed knowing this is how time and money is spent by MPs.
3. Hubris: sooo many MPs telling him he should run for PM but he never does.
4. His safe: basically he owns a safe in which he puts letters of no confidence.. this is his claim to fame.
5. Ego: a memoir normally shows a growth arc and development of the author, what they learn, the mistakes they made. It's so reassuring to know he was the only clean politician with the right answers, amendments and policies throughout his career... The ego is staggering.
6. For an MP who claims they don't make much money, having to maintain two properties, it was great to know he spent lockdown Christmas in Antigua with his family, holidays in Croatia, Thailand and Morocco.
A classic case of those confusing proximity to power to actually wielding it.
July 8, 2025
If nothing else, Kingmaker by Tim Brady taught me that I am seriously underachieving in the holiday department. Brady seems to take more breaks than the school calendar, and every few chapters we’re jetting off somewhere new: Italy, France, Tuscany again (because one visit clearly isn’t enough). I began to suspect the book was actually sponsored by Ryanair and a mid-range Provençal vineyard.
Speaking of wine—oh, the wine. Glasses of it slosh through these pages with such frequency that I worried the book might stain my hands red. Honestly, if you removed all the sentences involving a crisp white or a robust red, you’d have yourself a very slim novella indeed.
And then there’s Brady himself. He really does think he’s very important, doesn’t he? Every phone call is a “critical intervention,” every lunch a turning point in history. By the end, I half-expected him to negotiate peace in the Middle East over a bottle of Rioja.
It’s not all bad—there’s a charm to his self-belief, and the behind-the-scenes political gossip is fun. But perhaps fewer holidays, fewer glasses, and a touch less ego would have made for a sharper book.
As it stands: half political memoir, half wine-soaked travel brochure. Decent, if not quite the coronation Brady clearly thinks it is.
Speaking of wine—oh, the wine. Glasses of it slosh through these pages with such frequency that I worried the book might stain my hands red. Honestly, if you removed all the sentences involving a crisp white or a robust red, you’d have yourself a very slim novella indeed.
And then there’s Brady himself. He really does think he’s very important, doesn’t he? Every phone call is a “critical intervention,” every lunch a turning point in history. By the end, I half-expected him to negotiate peace in the Middle East over a bottle of Rioja.
It’s not all bad—there’s a charm to his self-belief, and the behind-the-scenes political gossip is fun. But perhaps fewer holidays, fewer glasses, and a touch less ego would have made for a sharper book.
As it stands: half political memoir, half wine-soaked travel brochure. Decent, if not quite the coronation Brady clearly thinks it is.
December 30, 2025
An interesting account of the chaos of the Conservative Party during 14 years of Government.
September 2, 2025
It's over five years since I last read any modern British political memoirs, in part because many felt like they offered little more than what I'd seen for myself in the day job, but a friend assured me that I would enjoy Graham Brady's "Kingmaker: Secrets, Lies, and the Truth about Five Prime Ministers". Given how often I found myself in agreement with Brady's opinions, I can see why: he tells it as it is, even when others are in denial of or blind to the truth. "No wonder the public has such low trust in politicians: we are letting the public down by giving them laws that not even we understand, let alone anyone else." (p.30) "We are among the least corrupt political systems in the world in the traditional sense of taking money for votes. But what we do have is a system where almost everyone is encouraged to become a liar immediately." (p.71) "It is a paradox, though, that in many ways, the Johnson government was the most left-wing that this country has had in peacetime, with spending and taxation put on a steep upward trajectory and a Covid response that was authoritarian." (p.238)
July 19, 2025
Audiobook for this - does it still count?
While there were many moments I disagreed with Brady - Brexit, free-market takes, opinions on Grammar schools - his role as leader of the 22, one of many checks on the power in politics, was incredibly important and made for very entertaining reading (listening).
My interpretation of Brady as someone who put party and constituency ahead of career is a contradiction to many Conservatives of recent years. It's also incredibly refreshing to hear politicians be able to speak about the toll politics takes on family, like when Brady's wife fell very ill.
It's nice to read the stories of politicians who have a clear sense of civic duty while also being able to point out the flaws in our political system. Nevertheless, I'd say as Leader of the 22, Brady represented an important stabiliser on the craziness of a Conservative party which lurched from disaster to disaster and five Prime Ministers during his time.
P.S. his chapter on Liz Truss' short premiership was just hilarious
While there were many moments I disagreed with Brady - Brexit, free-market takes, opinions on Grammar schools - his role as leader of the 22, one of many checks on the power in politics, was incredibly important and made for very entertaining reading (listening).
My interpretation of Brady as someone who put party and constituency ahead of career is a contradiction to many Conservatives of recent years. It's also incredibly refreshing to hear politicians be able to speak about the toll politics takes on family, like when Brady's wife fell very ill.
It's nice to read the stories of politicians who have a clear sense of civic duty while also being able to point out the flaws in our political system. Nevertheless, I'd say as Leader of the 22, Brady represented an important stabiliser on the craziness of a Conservative party which lurched from disaster to disaster and five Prime Ministers during his time.
P.S. his chapter on Liz Truss' short premiership was just hilarious
June 1, 2025
I got a copy of this book after seeing Brady speak at the Stratford literary festival. Having observed from afar the events he describes, namely the chaos of the Conservative Party leadership since 2010, I was rather appalled to discover that things were worse than I even imagined. The clash of egos, stupidity, disregard for the electorate, and immoral behaviour described is terrible. Brady comes across as an honorable man trying to do the right thing for this voters, with some strongly held principles, notably on grammar schools. He holds many views with which I disagree, notably his support for Brexit, but at least he was consistent. Truss and Johnson especially come out badly from this story, and Brady has no lost love for Cameron and Osborne. Interesting but deressing read.
December 31, 2024
Little known fact but his wife interviewed me for Meridian. As for the book, it is interesting to read the gossip and inside view but I was not impressed by Mr Brady when I worked in Parliament and this has not changed my view. Interesting that we both think "Call me Dave" was a pisspoor Prime Minister, although he doesn't share my view of him as the worst Prime Minister of the century. If you're interested in the period 1997 to present in Parliament, especially the omnishambles of the Tory governments 2010 - 2024 (How the opposition was so awful in the period it allowed them to be re-elected is no mystery but a shame upon them), it may be worth reading.
November 29, 2024
Sir Graham comes over a both genial and sensible, which is he bearing when ever I saw him. A grown up in the room but also someone who was expedient about politics in general. He has overseen some astonishing times and seems to have come away broadly happy but with a pretty negative personal view of what public service really means and how politics today’s makes everyone a liar for a cause. A man of certain principles but also a pragmatist is what I took from this excellent book. He probably could have been a good man to have on the front benches more I suspect.
December 12, 2024
Timed to hit the market alongside the inevitably self-justifying and truth-bending accounts of Johnson, Truss and others, Brady gives us a meticulous and occasionally colourful account of the incessant manoeuvring among Tory parliamentarians about their leaders. Entertaining enough, with sufficient eye-catching anecdotes to give it the ring of truth, but far from being “explosive” as per the blurb, Brady rather pulls his punches in the end. Given what he witnessed, his assurance that all will be well in the end signal a less independent mind than he purports to be throughout.
January 5, 2025
Disappointing. Shallow - politically (it's clear the author is both a proponent of grammar schools and a Eurosceptic) but there's no real analysis of those topics and in a sense it is also shallow personally.
The image that remains is of a politically adept operator - within the party + processes - but at the same time of someone who operates very much within that political bubble. I suppose the frequent mention of drinks / glass of wine and holidays or other trips at various points doesn't help.
The image that remains is of a politically adept operator - within the party + processes - but at the same time of someone who operates very much within that political bubble. I suppose the frequent mention of drinks / glass of wine and holidays or other trips at various points doesn't help.
April 3, 2025
Full of his own importance and righteousness, on issues such as Brexit (Brady amendment cut through all the noise), Covid (Brady amendment cut through all the noise), grammar schools (a Brady amendment yeah whatever blah blah), and at least six times he mentions that he would have had a crack at the top job of Prime Minister, everyone was behind him and he would have been awesome.
For someone at the crux of such an interesting and divisive era, this was really quite dull. A perfunctory, tedious read.https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit...#
For someone at the crux of such an interesting and divisive era, this was really quite dull. A perfunctory, tedious read.https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit...#
April 10, 2025
Even though I disagree entirely with Graham Brady on so many political issues, this is a decent and readable account from an honourable Conservative who gives a fascinating 'behind the curtains' peek into those fourteen years of Tory rule. The downside, on a personal note, is that I am fundamentally opposed to his principles and can only like the book to a certain extent, however there's much here of interest, particularly covering the Johnson and Truss period, and his admiration for Rishi Sunak, who he recognises as doing an impossible job better than some of his predecessors.
October 8, 2024
I wasn’t sure to give it 4 or 5*. I might change my mind. But I thought it was well written, full of amazing information and insight and from someone that was at the centre of it all from 1997 - there surely can’t be many other accounts like it.
My downsides - one there’s not enough (unlike Alan Clark who has three volumes!) and two, Brady is very critical of everyone. Maybe he’s jaded, but he really didn’t like many people he worked with!
My downsides - one there’s not enough (unlike Alan Clark who has three volumes!) and two, Brady is very critical of everyone. Maybe he’s jaded, but he really didn’t like many people he worked with!
November 2, 2025
Sir Graham Brady is known for his discretion and judgement as chairman of the 1922 committee.
This book is a discrete man's idea of indescretion. This makes it a somewhat bland account of a frebile era.
The problem is that the press sensationalised things, and Sir Graham paints a beige picture. The net affect was a sense of missing information.
The most interesting opinion was that the country would have done well to have Theresa May as PM during COVID, and Boris as successor to Cameron for BREXIT.
This book is a discrete man's idea of indescretion. This makes it a somewhat bland account of a frebile era.
The problem is that the press sensationalised things, and Sir Graham paints a beige picture. The net affect was a sense of missing information.
The most interesting opinion was that the country would have done well to have Theresa May as PM during COVID, and Boris as successor to Cameron for BREXIT.
October 25, 2024
The Kingmaker by Sir Graham Brady is secrets, lies and the truth about five Prime Ministers and is a fascinating insight to his time as an MP and as chairman of the 1922 Committee.
From Coalition to Brexit, Covid to Partygate, Trussonomics to the 2024 election with five Prime Ministers.
Highly recommended
From Coalition to Brexit, Covid to Partygate, Trussonomics to the 2024 election with five Prime Ministers.
Highly recommended
December 6, 2024
Interesting enough in places, but don’t go to this book for a detailed narrative about the horrors of the last few years. It’s fairly narrow in scope. I was left with the hideous feeling which deepens with every book I read, that this last period of Tory government will be studied with utter bemusement by future historians. Graham Brady is one of the few who emerges with any credit at all.
December 18, 2024
A fascinating read from an anomaly….a sensible and level headed politician! As chair of the 1922 committee he has overseen quite a lot of turbulence at the heart of both government and the Conservative Party. A man who would speak sense to those who should have behaved better.
A good, easy to read chronicle of some difficult times.
A good, easy to read chronicle of some difficult times.
January 11, 2025
An interesting insight into the mechanics of the Conservative Party during a very chaotic period, but an incredibly dry read - not sure much was gained by including such intricate detail for all five PMs.
Whilst the author was definitely at the centre of things, I think the dramatic title overplays his role somewhat.
Whilst the author was definitely at the centre of things, I think the dramatic title overplays his role somewhat.
February 11, 2025
This was an explosive period in politics and the memoir from the former chair of the 1922 committee certainly lifted a lid on what happened in that period. That said I found it a little dull at points and a bit repetitive ie about grammar schools.
But look not a bad read and good to understand what happened behind the news articles.
But look not a bad read and good to understand what happened behind the news articles.
March 23, 2025
Considering how much insight Brady had in these events this book is quite dull in places. Things that carried lots of weight like the fracking vote are quickly gone through in a page without a clear view of what he thought about them. This book could of been much more intresting if it focused on the things that we never get to see, like the conversations between Brady and the PM of the day.
January 3, 2025
Recommended! I enjoy the drama of politics and this was a gripping and dramatic read. I devoured it over two days in every spare moment I had. It's not amazing but it is very good. It increased my appreciation for the author. An enjoyable read!
April 6, 2025
Not the most in depth, but certainly very readable, account of the times of the Conservatives in power. A somewhat unique viewpoint and in spite of occasional unexplored outbursts, Brady comes across as a very decent, principled politician.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews