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Forty Shades of Blue - Factionalism and Divisions in the Post-war British Conservative Party from Churchill to Cameron

Dr Vincent McKee

(Takahe Publishing Ltd;   ISBN 978-1-908837-08-0)

A carefully researched and detailed account of debates, divisions and groups fashioning the leaders, parliamentarians, grass roots, individuals, factions and forces that shaped the British Conservative Party and its Ulster Unionist allies over almost 75 years since World War 2. Includes interviews with leading Tories like Michael Heseltine, Norman Tebbit, Stephen Dorrell, Iain Duncan Smith, Reginald Prentice and Teresa Gorman, as well as a host of other parliamentarians, councillors and party activists.

Presented in a readable and engaging style, this book will appeal not just to the specialist ‘political’ reader, but also to a variety of thinking people with an interest in post-war British and Northern Irish affairs. Should hold a particular interest for students of contemporary British history and development, as well as overseas observers of the British political system. See a summary of expert critiques below.

Professor Peter Hennessy - Life Peer, Broadcaster and Writer, Emeritus Professor of Contemporary History, Queen Mary College, London.

Lord Peter Hennessy addressing the book launch, 1st December, 2017, Westminster Cathedral, London:

 “Forty Shades of Blue is a well-researched and well-written book that contributes much to an understanding of the British Conservative Party, especially in the areas of factionalism and ideological divisions over the past seven decades since World War 2.

Dr Vincent McKee has put this important subject into a useful historical framework.”

Michael Meadowcroft - Former Liberal MP for Leeds West; Retired Chairman, Electoral Reform Society; Author and Broadcaster.

“It has always been the case that the ideology and politics of the Conservative Party have been much less analysed than those of the Labour Party. Vincent McKee's book is a significant contribution towards rectifying this. Nowhere else can one find such a thorough and systematic study of Conservative factions, and his book will find a ready place on the reference shelves of working politicians and commentators alike. Despite my long decades in the political world, McKee digs out a number of factions unknown to me as well as reminding me of others long forgotten.”

Professor David Marsland - Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, Brunel University, London; Author and Broadcaster; Conservative sociological thinker and Friend of Israel:

"Dr McKee's book charts an original and informed journey through the murky world of Conservative factionalism over 71 years since Churchill's day. Additionally, it places the various groups and causes into a rational framework of analysis, such as will help students, party observers and the thoughtful reader alike to emerge with an enlightened perspective on the nature of modern British Conservatism. To that mercurial task, Dr McKee has addressed his redoubtable academic skills and long-<wbr>standing interest. For his achievement, this oft-<wbr>times maligned man deserves credit from the British political science and contemporary history world, not to mention the appreciation of all men and women of good will dedicated to the promotion of British democracy"

Dr Francis McAreavey - Retired Politics/History Tutor at a Manchester Sixth Form College and native of Lurgan, Co Armagh (N.Ireland).

Reviewing this book in Newry Democrat (10th January 2018):

 “Factual, comprehensive and well documented, doubtless this book will challenge thoughtful readers to the limits. Perhaps not the easiest read, but it has been made reader-friendly by the efforts of its author to communicate his subject to an audience of students and others with a serious interest in the politics of the British state. Ultimately ..... Dr McKee has herewith produced an intellectual treatise that is a match for the best of Oxford. It is to be hoped that other worthy works shall follow".

FORTY SHADES OF BLUE : Review by Patrick Burns

Dr Vincent McKee's authoritative publication on the post-war Tory Party is among the best contemporary history works of its kind to appear over the last decade.

It is - (a) balanced and entirely evidence-driven; (b) well-informed; (c) meticulously structured and reader friendly; and (d) targeted at the thinking rather than the specialist reader. Additionally, McKee has combined scholarly knowledge with the presentation of primary evidence, most especially interviews with leading Tories from the period, including Norman Tebbit, Michael Heseltine, John Major's Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell, and Labour rebel/ Thatcher convert minister, the late Reginald Prentice. The author has spared no effort at presenting the truths, warts and glories combined, on a 75 year period of Toryism in both government and occasional periods of Opposition. He has been entirely fair, if also searching, on his subjects, and in the process served up an excellent contribution to post-war British history, of interest to students, 'politicos' and the general reader alike.

When recalling the troubled personal life of Dr McKee over the past decade, it is a tribute to this determined Belfast scholar that he has come with such a learned treatise on a British party with whom he has - as he says in the introduction - no obvious affinity and, equally, no axe to grind. A work of detached scholarship! No wonder, the principal guest speaker at the book's launch was the broadcaster, historian and political commentator, Lord/Professor Peter Hennessy! - My only suggestion to the author is that before putting out a further edition, he might write a post-script on the traumatic last four years of the Tories in office under two successive leaders, where doubtless his observations will be most perceptive.

Being the learned academic that he is, Dr McKee has other established interests and books pending. However, having presented this masterful thesis on Toryism since Churchill, it is imperative that he returns in due course to update the task if only for the benefit of future generations of British politics and history students. Here's hoping!

Patrick Burns

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‘Sliabh Crub’, 3 Hanbury Place, Cubbington Road, Coventry, CV6 7BN, UK