THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER

by John O'Farrell

Like bubonic plague and stone cladding, no-one took Margaret Thatcher seriously until it was too late. Her first act as leader was to appear before the cameras and do a V for Victory sign the wrong way round. She was smiling and telling the British people to f*** off at the same time. It was something we would have to get used to.'

Things Can Only Get Better is the personal account of a Labour supporter who survived eighteen miserable years of Conservative government. It is the heartbreaking and hilarious confessions of someone who has been actively involved in helping the Labour party lose elections at every level: school candidate: door-to-door canvasser: working for a Labour MP in the House of Commons; standing as a council candidate; and eventually writing jokes for a shadow cabinet minister.

Along the way he slowly came to realise that Michael Foot would never be Prime Minister, that vegetable quiche was not as tasty as chicken tikki masala and that the nuclear arms race was never going to be stopped by face painting alone.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, History, Humor, Biography, Memoir, Autobiography

336 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1998

About the author

John O'Farrell is the author of four novels: The Man Who Forgot His Wife, May Contain Nuts, This Is Your Life and The Best a Man Can Get. His novels have been translated into over twenty languages and have been adapted for radio and television. He has also written two best-selling history books: An Utterly Impartial History of Britain and An Utterly Exasperated History of Modern Britain, as well as a political memoir, Things Can Only Get Better and three collections of his column in The Guardian. A former comedy scriptwriter for such productions as Spitting Image, Room 101, Murder Most Horrid and Chicken Run, he is founder of the satirical website NewsBiscuit and can occasionally be spotted on such TV programmes as Grumpy Old Men, Question Time and Have I Got News for You.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely entertaining and very, very funny. The book seems dated now as it ends just after the Labour landslide in 1997., but is still worth a read. The book reads a bit like a diary, with important dates and elections as chapters. O'Farrell is self deprecating and I really enjoyed how he takes the mickey out of himself. There are serious parts to the book too, though. I'm looking forward to reading his new book that has just been published. This did make me laugh out loud in many places. Well worth a read.

[Richard Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book to appreciate the glee felt by many (including me) at the end of the 18 years of Tory rule. He writes with an understanding of the politics of the time and of the hopes of the majority that we would see better government and governance than hitherto. We did for a while before the iron law of British politics clicked in when Blair heard the voices and began to want to strut on a larger stage than Westminster and Whitehall. The last PM who didn't do abroad with any enthusiasm was Stanley Baldwin who was unjustly traduced by Churchill for his insularity.

[Aurélien Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

John O'Farrell is a comedian, writing for diverse British TV shows. Labour supporter, he was also traumatised enough by the Thatcher era to, as Tony Blair took over, take the time to write this 'Things Can Only Get Better', a diary where he retraces the long period of decline and crises that had plagued the socialists under Maggie -rendering her and the Tories unstoppable for more than a decade. Well, the sub-title ('Eighteen Miserable Years...') is telling enough about the feeling...

Proud holder of a membership card and all, secretary for his local branch (he will even be the assistant of an MP) O'Farrell is a geek for politics, a passionate man whose adventures in here, quite funny and relatable, also serve a critical purpose beyond the humorous tone. From the Falklands War to the protests against the race for nuclear weapons, we follow his personal and political anger, shame, frustration, embarrassment, and disappointments over two decades, an interesting journey not least because, evolving from being a teenager fully embracing some radical leftist ideals into a grown up man more grounded and realist, it reflects, somehow, the evolution of the Labour party itself -once a bastion for trade unionism, but having now morphed into a 'Blairite' version of ultra-capitalism. In fact, that's the main interest of the book. Here's not only a rant against Thatcher (which he absolutely dislike) but a severe criticism of his party, unable to adapt when it was more than required.

It was too personal a journey for my liking (that's the point, I know! But I had picked this book at random...) and I don't know how far it reflects the feelings of the then Labour supporters (or at least of those people who were not supporting Thatcher's policies). Nevertheless, this insight upon what was a sinking ship during an era which radically transformed Britain (and the Labour itself) is a nice read.

[Tiah]

John O'Farrell always makes me laugh out loud so hard my ribs hurt. If I was ever so lucky to meet the man in person, I'm sure I'd like him. I agree with a lot of what he says. Yet, I never seem to adore the books as a whole. In fact, I greatly disliked May Contain Nut. Things Can Only Get Better was humorous and gave me enormous history into the political landscape of the Thatcher years. I'm glad I read it. Yet, there is always the yet...

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

John O'Farrell's book on life under Margaret Thatcher is laugh out loud funny. John was a script writer for "Spitting Image" which alongside Margaret Thatcher was a defining component of my childhood. His description of growing up in Marlow as a Labour party supporting family brings smile t my face even now. A fabulous and highly amusing read that brings back many fond memories. Highly recommended.

[Stuart Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be brief - if you're the right age, of the right (left!) leaning political persuasion, and from the UK, you will love this book. Highly recommended.

[H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've previously read John O'Farrell's cynical, satirical and hilarious takes on British history, so was interested in picking this up–a memoir of his life coming of age politically as a Labour supporter in the Thatcher era. Born to Labour parents in a Tory town, we see him enter grassroots politics as a campus leftist motivated by defeat in the 1979 UK election, only to witness one Labour setback after another over the next two decades. By the time the next Labour govt. is elected in 1997, both him and the country have changed deeply.

There's probably something to be said about reading this post the 2024 clusterfuck in America (and a decade + of Modi rule in India), but ultimately it's just a deeply entertaining, funny read. You can really feel O'Farrell's frustrations as the British electorate makes one blunderous decision after another in the Thatcher years. It's of course helpful that he's far more self-deprecating and too smart to be pompous about his politics, and the tensions of his middle-class lifestyle vs. working-class political sympathies are exploited for some good fun. The book ends with the Labour win in 1997, after 18 years of Tory governments, and the jubilation on Farell's side feels well-earned enough that you temporarily forget that all they are about to get is the nightmare of Blair and Iraq.

Lot of modern British and American politics does seem to rhyme - the nightmare of Reagan/Thatcher's laissez-faire economics, the mirages of Blair/Clinton/Obama's pragmatic neoliberalism, the populist buffoonery of Trump/Johnson/Brexit, the return to socialist appeals (and media vilification) on the left by Sanders/Corbyn, and even the "radical", "sensible" centrism of Starmer/Kamala (albeit with differing electoral success). However, it was indeed nice to learn a bit more of Labour's history, and its roots as well as substantial base in actual, left-wing, socialist politics, which is quite distinct from the Democrats both today and historically.

It was also painful to see its electoral and rhetorical deficiencies, and to see that ultimately the victorious platform was one that had consolidated towards the center-right positions it holds today. There's a belief on the left, certainly the left of today in America and England, that their policies are popular, and that proper articulation of them would provide electoral dividends. There's also a belief that electoral politics are simply not a useful front for furthering these policies, given the corporate and imperial interests of the relevant political parties. Both positions strike me as somewhat true, but ultimately self-defeating, in that under theorization of them does seem harmful and detrimental to the cause. I do not pretend to have any good answers here, but one must continue looking.

Fuck Thatcher, and fuck the Tories.
(Fuck Blair too, but this book has a sequel so that sentiment can wait).

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this book when I first started out, as my familiarity with the politics in Britain of the 1980s isn't that great, but actually this was a really entertaining memoir. It traced the course of a Labour supporter from idealism through to disillusionment and then to final acceptance during the long, dark years of Margaret Thatcher's rule. The books ends when 'New Labour' finally gain office in 1997 - an event I remember myself having arrived in Britain the year before. There are some incredibly funny recollections but what comes through most of all was the passion and heartbreak of the author. I think this is as much a coming-of-age book as a political book and I was really pleasantly surprised at just how much I enjoyed it.

[Vivienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another book group selection and one I found quite amusing and informative.

O'Farrell is passionate about politics and I could certainly relate to many of the things he wrote about here having lived through these years and events. He is also very funny and there were plenty of laugh out loud moments.

I do think though that its appeal will be mainly limited to politically-minded Brits as it is very focused on British politics during the period of 1979-1997.

[Gareth Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fever Pitch-style biography where the focus is not football but on politics, specifically the Labour party. It's an easy, pleasant read, perhaps too much so for a book concerning politics. O'Farrell treats his party very much as other authors treat the football teams, with exasperation and blind loyalty. Written in late 1997, the book is rather spoiled by the ending in which Blair gains power and all is right with the world. Nevertheless an entertaining read.

[John Molyneux · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, witty read, O Farrell relives the dark days of the selfish, greed fuelled 80s, in a comic yet poignant way. He is actually quite self deprecating in his tales, despite the right wing press inevitably focusing solely on the rather ill-advised musings of a frustrated and angry young man after the Brighton bombing.

[Becky Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this sat on my shelf untouched for about 3 years, but after much scolding at Party Conference I finally got round to reading it. Brilliant, has to be read.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lived through these times, really true to my experiences at the time. Great book by a fine author.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as 'An Impartial History...', but very amusing and a fun way of reviewing British politics in the 80s and 90s.

[Rob Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

John considers what has happened since, up to Brexit and Corbyn. He takes us on a rollercoaster ride during the 20 years from the glorious night of the 1997 Labour landslide to the EU referendum. Also included are the election of Trump, concluding with the glimmer of hope. There are plenty of laughs as well as large doses of common sense along the way.

Educational, informative and comical. John uses self-deprecating humour to analyse the wilderness years. Recommended reading for those blind to the reasons for change.

[Scar Mo]

Gonna shelf this one for now. I liked it when I read it as a teenager but it's sunny and i want to read girly books at the beach xx

[Rebecca Memon · Rating 5 out of 5]

finished on the day the 2024 election was announced how fitting

[Simon Mcleish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog here in June 2002.

Many tragic events can seem comic in retrospect, and in this book the depression accompanying being a Labour Part supporter in Thatcher's Britain is made very funny indeed. As someone mildly left wing (rabidly so by the standards of the place where I grew up, where even the Conservatives are too left wing to be voted onto the local council), I shared many of the disappointments felt by John O'Farrell, albeit in a less committed way partly dictated by being seven or eight years younger as well as by my own apathy. (I have only once been to a demonstration, against the Tiananmen Square massacre, and even that only involved a forty second walk.)

What Things Can Only Get Better consistently reminded me of was the series of Adrian Mole diaries; I liked this better because all the embarrassing social ineptitude which made me cringe with Sue Townsend's creation is missing. As a memoir of a time which I lived through from a point of view close to my own, it brought back a lot of memories. Of course, it is not altogether a tragic black comedy; all those who read it are likely to know that it will have a happy ending (at least for readers who share O'Farrell's viewpoint). And the story of the Labour victory in 1997 is told in an ecstatic, cathartic way, so the reader relives the triumphal feelings of 1 May over again. This is partly because Things Can Only Get Better was written before the euphoria wore off - after five years, many people are much more cynical about Blair's government. (It is noticeable how little the Conservatives have learnt from the internal difficulties experienced by the Labour party after Thatcher's victory in 1979 - history repeats itself with a vengeance.) I am not entirely sure what I think myself about them now, other than pleasure that the clip of Michael Portillo losing his seat is likely to appear in every TV compilation about nineties politics until the end of time. Any detailed analysis I could come up with would just be a dull catalogue of "on the other hand"s (and there is more than enough prevarication in my writing already).

Most people who are likely to enjoy this book probably already know about it (I've heard it serialised on the radio, for example). But if you have any interest in British politics recounted in an amusing way, particularly if you yourself were a Labour sympathiser in the eighties and nineties, I would urge you to read Things Can Only Get Better.

[Kim Stallwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

The narrative is a memoir of a coming of age as an activist in the British Labour Party. Some interesting recollections, particularly if you were there, which I was up to 1987. Thereafter, I was in the U.S. and watched developments from afar. It was these reminisces that were more interesting to me. But would not be the case if the reader lived in the U.K. throughout this period.

Published in 1998, and ending with the election of centrist Tony Blair as the first Labour Prime Minister after what the author calls 'eighteen miserable years in the life of a Labour supporter’, and reading it while the present Labour Party is engaged in a leadership contest, was interesting.

There’s the bigger picture of the struggle within the party of where does its ideology reside? Centre left? Left? Progressive moderate? Is it a political party to win elections? Or a political or social movement where the ‘correct’ policies are more important than whether they inspire the electorate to vote for them? This is, of course, a simplistic reduction of a complex debate. And one which all social movements, including animal rights, struggle with one way or another. And an issue that fascinates me.

So, to read O’Farrell while the Labour Party sought to address its future made it even more interesting than the author could have ever known or predicted. His political worldview starts out clearly on the left. But toward the end there’s a rush forward as he ages, partners, breeds, buys property, eats meat after years of vegetarianism, and ends up as a writer on the (for me) unfunny telly political satire news quiz, 'Have I Got News for You.'

This transition from youthful idealist to bourgeois consumer is not explored in any meaningful way. OK. It’s not a political treatise. It’s filed under ‘Humor.’ Which would be appropriate if it was funnny. I never stopped laughing. I never started. If only things did get better. It needs a good edit. At least one-third too long. Just not that funny. The odd clever, witty remark but nothing that made me laugh out loud or inspire me to read on. It became a bit of a chore to finish.

I hate to be critical of anyone's book. I know how much goes into writing, editing and producing any book. But I was disappointed in 'Things Can Only Get Better.' His superficial treatment of his political coming of age particularly highlighted why this book did not get my vote.

[Max Godin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deciding to read something slightly different, I purchased this and was eager to see what it would be like. I have to admit, despite not being a committed socialist as O'Farrell certainly is, I found his account of the eighteen years to be incredibly amusing and fun to read. It is certainly easy to see why he ended up writing for Spitting Image.

It was rather interesting to see his transformation from a hard left supporter of Michael Foot and Tony Benn in his university years, all the way to middle class Blair voter and helps to highlight the frustration many within the party felt as to why they were viewed as unelectable. He specifically mentions, in the aftermath of the 1987 election, that the defeat there was even more crushing because the campaign had been a decent one but the electorate rejected them based on their policies. So it some way, the book isn't just about his journey as a Labour supporter, but also a journey the party took, from the days of Foot to Blair.

[Paul Clarkson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this after ‘Things can only get worse?’, a much later book that I immersed myself in and enjoyed being generally the Leftie that I am. This book, written many years earlier was gifted to me by a colleague. It was funny, to the extent of giggling out loud funny on occasion. But would have been a better read for me at the time it was originally published. My maturing into adulthood was during the run up to Margaret Thatcher’s premiership, my ambivalent political feelings and the aftermath of her reign. And eventual sweeping in of Tony Blair. My reading of it now seemed dated, primarily I think because I do have my personal spin on it all. But, J O’F is funny, self-effacing with an admirable commitment to his beliefs. Read it for a witty and informative Brit left-wing take on the state of Politics of the late 90’s/noughties. An easy read. Too late in the day for me to read though.

[Adrian P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever, funny and poignant. Anyone who was an unemployed graduate in the nineteen eighties will wince with recognition as John puts on a tie to hide in the library; and those frustrated by the arms race of that era will both laugh and cry as he describes the misguided idea that nuclear weapons can be disarmed by face-painting or by a 'die-in' in the street. And with the lightest of touches, he nails those politicians who are so self-centred that they can't even bear to laugh at a colleague's joke...

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted a signed copy of this by my aunt who is life-long Labour member and politician.

It's a great read. Very funny and full of interesting tidbits for example Dave Nellist sharing an office with Tony B.

I must say it has also altered my opinion on how I view the centre and right of centre side of Labour. I have a little more sympathy for those who supported New Labour and the push to get into power because John conveys so well the alternative of being kept out of political power for all them years back in the 70s to late 90s.

[KJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gets a definite recommendation from me because it is very funny at times and it also offers a clear picture of how politics works in Britain from a fairly low level. However I do wish that O'Farrell was a little more open-minded. Apparently Labour voters are permitted tribal loyalty, but their Tory counterparts are pig-headed ignoramuses. No skin off my nose because I am neither a Labour nor a Conservative voter, but it may well wear on your nerves if your political views tend to the right of centre.

[Pippa Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

still going with this one. what made me pick it up was the excerpt on the back cover: Like bubonic plage and stone cladding, no-one took Margaret Thatcher seriously until it was too late. her first act as leader was to appear before the cameras and do a V for Victory sign the wrong way round. She was smiling and telling the British people to f*** off at the same time. It was something we would have to get used to.

[Nick Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than I anticipated, but (not being a socialist) I couldn't completely get past that stumbling block. As well as O'Farrell writes, this was less funny than his novels, and I found it lacking in awareness - there was criticism of supporters of one party for behaving antisocially and irregularly, but no criticism of activists of the 'other' side (the author's chosen party) for doing exactly the same.

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

err... I didn't like much the Political History part... I was hoping for something funny but bored me a bit. Plus I am Canadian and I don't give much a shit about politic here so form England even worst ' not giving a shit about it ' but still it's interesting to see the effort he put into this with all his heart. :)

[Jonathan Hull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious view of what it felt like to a labour supporter and activist in the dark days of Thatcher.

Wry twists on the hopelessness of canvassing in safe seats, the absurdity, the characters you meet in the way and the never ending hope...

Finally the relief and release.

A personal journey, accessible, real and downright funny

[Florence Penrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been active Labour supporters in the Period that John O'Farrell is writing about here, I can only say how well he relates what was going on at the time, and how people like us felt about it - especially when John Major got in. Very funny and the best thing he's done

[Libby Mcainsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can utterly empathise with this book. It was even more frustrating for us scots as she still managed to win with very few mp's being returned - bloody Nicholas Fairburn! Very funny book and sums up the feelings of many at that time.