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On12 May 2019, Manchester City became the first team to retain the Premier Leaguetitle for a decade. Twenty years earlier, the same club was slogging its wayout of Division Two, having sunk ignominiously to the third tier, its glorydays well behind it. Ordinarily,the tale of a sleeping giant awaking to stomp over the competition would becelebrated far beyond the core fan base. But City's success is tiedinextricably to its takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, an eventthat altered the club's horizons beyond any plausible recognition. Theinjection of billions of pounds into the club amid accusations that Abu Dhabiis 'sportswashing' its reputation tarnished City's treble-winning season in2022/23, as have serious charges of financial impropriety from the PremierLeague. GloryDays for the Waifs and Strayscharts this route from noble rags to uncomfortable riches and unpacks what itmeans when a team's lowest lows and highest highs occur improbably within ageneration. It amounts to a story like no other in modern football: thedistance travelled from there to here, the greats on either side of the whiteline and the uniquely divisive means by which this has been achieved. ManchesterCity have defined an era in English football. This is the tale of how thathappened and why it matters.

Inthis extraordinary new book, former Secretary of State Penny Mordaunt and co-authorChris Lewis build on the success of their Sunday Times-bestselling Greater:Britain After the Storm to celebrate the traditions and values thatunderpin British life. Pomp& Circumstance exploresBritain's traditions - both the ancient and the new. From coronations andnational events to local customs, they provide stability, reinforce identityand foster resilience to help us steer a course through the uncertainties oftomorrow. Nations, organisations and communities that have them thrive. Where theyare absent, it is harder to adapt to the fast-changing world. Ata time of great worry about our ability to adapt to an uncertain world, thisbook should give every Briton confidence and courage. It contains a uniqueperspective from someone who has had a ringside seat at many of our national eventsand crises over many years. Mordaunt, who in her ceremonial role as LordPresident of the Council famously carried the Sword of State and presented theJewelled Sword of Offering to King Charles III at his coronation, examines areasof traditional British culture - including the monarchy, Parliament, the law,sport and local traditions, as well as values such as sacrifice, courage andremembrance - to show how a country often thought of as old-fashioned actuallyuses its historical conventions to navigate the future. Farfrom being a brake on progress, our traditions offer a predictable rhythm tolife, promote values, encourage reflection and create a sense of continuitywhile allowing room for innovation and growth.

Once,political whips swore by a code of omerta... 'Thetheory was that you never discussed what went on in the whips' office untilyour dying day, as though you worked at Bletchley Park.'... But not any more. Thoughdecades of silence have fostered intrigue, mythology and suspicion about theiractivities, the whips' office has long played a crucial role in Westminster, greasingthe parliamentary machine and keeping rebellious MPs in check. But while whipsappear all-knowing and ever-present, are they still all-powerfu? heUsual Channels pullsback the curtain on one of Westminster's most notorious elements and explores whetherwhips still have the upper hand. Chartingeccentric traditions and colourful characters, this authoritative guide is notonly an insight into the workings of a crucial institution; it is also amasterclass in the past fifty years of British political history.

As the party that has held power more times than any other, the Conservatives have played a crucial role in the shaping of British society. And yet the leaders who have stood at its helm - from Sir Robert Peel to Rishi Sunak, via Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher - have steered the party vessel with enormously varying degrees of success, particularly latterly, when the short but destructive tenures of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss did much to damage the party's reputation for competence. The requirements, techniques and goals of Conservative leadership since the party's nineteenth-century factional breakaway have been forced to evolve almost beyond recognition - and not all its leaders have managed to keep up. This comprehensive and enlightening book - now fully updated with chapters on all Conservative leaders up to Rishi Sunak and an assessment of the party's leadership in relation to Brexit - considers the attributes and achievements of each leader in the context of their respective time and diplomatic landscape. Offering a compelling analytical framework by which they may be judged, it also provides detailed personal biographies from some of the country's foremost political critics and exclusive interviews with former leaders themselves. An indispensable contribution to the study of party leadership, British Conservative Leaders is the essential guide to understanding British political history and governance.

Bythe standards of most clubs, Arsenal's 2024/25 season was a resounding success. They had hoped to go one better than second place in the Premier League andreaching the semi-final of the Champions League. The fact that they did notshouldn't detract from an exciting and tumultuous season in which Arsenalovercame controversial referee decisions and a swathe of injuries to deliveroutstanding highs such as thrashing Manchester City, routing PSV Eindhoven in arecord-breaking 7-1 win and triumphing over Real Madrid. Arsenal:On the Edge is acomprehensive analysis that delves into everything from squad-building andselections to triumphs and controversies, reflecting on what the team need todo to ensure that 2025/26 sees the end of Arsenal's twenty-year wait for thePremier League title.

DavidPleat has lived a life at the heart of football. From his debut as an England Schoolboyinternational in 1960 to his time as a scout for Tottenham Hotspur up to 2024,his is a story that touches every facet of the professional game. In1986, Pleat was given his shot at the big-time at Tottenham. But for afabricated tabloid scandal, his sole season as manager - which featured athird-placed finish, an FA Cup final and a League Cup semi-final - might havebeen the start of a transformation at White Hart Lane. After spells atLeicester City and Sheffield Wednesday, Pleat twice returned to Tottenham. Here, he gives his frank assessment of his chairmen, Irving Scholar, Alan Sugarand Daniel Levy, and an insider's account of the rise and fall of managers fromGlenn Hoddle to Ange Postecoglou. However,Just One More Goal is not just an account of one man's lifelongobsession with football. It is the story of an evolving game, one that movedaway from instinct and spontaneity towards something colder and more technical. David Pleat's memoir is the perfect answer to the question of how modernfootball became what it is today.

A parliamentary by-election happens when a seat in the Houseof Commons becomes vacant between general elections, whether because thesitting MP dies, resigns, goes bankrupt, is convicted of a crime or is subjectto a recall petition. By-elections can often appear to break the mould ofBritish politics, signify the seemingly terminal decline of a particularpolitical party or indicate the end of a premiership. Some take on iconicstatus or attract celebrity candidates and are remembered several decades afterthey take place. Others quickly disappear into the depths of our memories. Asthese pages will testify, however, there's rarely a dull contest. In this latest anthology, Iain Dale picks the mostconsequential by-elections of the modern era and presents a series of thoroughlyresearched and absorbing essays by some of our finest political writers,including Sir Vernon Bogdanor, Sir John Curtice, Simon Heffer, Julia Langdon,Lord Lexden, Andrew Marr, Tim Shipman and many others. This remarkable book uncovers unique stories of politicaltragedy, triumph, success and failure, set against the backdrop of some of the mostdramatic moments in British parliamentary history.

Basedon Philip Cowley's entertaining columns in The House magazine,this collection of political oddities and fascinating research, discussing thepolitics of fights, cockroaches, riots, potholes, beards and much more, isperfect for reading in multiple sittings. Discover the electoral relevance ofchip shops and football grounds, what your lawn tells you about your voting,why politicians need to pay extra care in Scunthorpe, what MPs think of voters,why they all claim to be local and why they are all now so inexperienced. Equalparts witty and thought-provoking, and with additional grumpy complaints aboutbats, overly long constituency names and giving the vote to sixteen-year-olds,it's a book that will appeal to the sort of person who likes to tell you that,actually, it's all a bit more complicated than that...

Larrythe cat, chief mouser of Downing Street, has seen off five Prime Ministers sofar and is a national treasure. Though certainly the most famous cat inBritain, Larry is only one of a long line of political animals at the seats ofgovernment on both sides of the Atlantic. Frompandas and platypuses to Labradors and lions, animals have long shored up peacebetween rivals, clinched election campaigns, caused divisions within parties andleft their unique calling cards in the halls of power. Journalistand former special adviser Peter Cardwell traces the political (andnot-so-political) adventures of these fascinating pets from Tudor times to No. 10's newest kitten. Drawing on exclusive interviews with Washington andWestminster insiders, including Prime Ministers past and present, Cardwell revealsnever-before-heard tales of political pets and offers a fresh insight into theenduring relationships between those in government and their furry friends.

Beforethey purchased Wrexham AFC, Hollywood stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynoldswere told to contact two people: footballing legend Dixie McNeil and KerryEvans. When Kerry received that call from California, something inside hersparked at the words 'Would you like to come on a journey with us?'Bornwith cerebral palsy, Kerry battled indifferent doctors, relentless bullies and crushinganxiety to establish the life she'd dreamed of. At thirty, she suffered a near-fatalbrain bleed, leaving her without feeling on her right side and unable to walk. From rock bottom, Kerry fought to get her life back. Everything changed when shebecame Wrexham's disability liaison officer... and then Hollywood came calling. StrongerThan You Think offersa unique insider perspective on Wrexham's star-studded takeover, withfirst-hand insights into how two famous actors altered the fortunes of the cluband the community surrounding it. But this isn't just the story of Wrexham AFC. This is the story of how one woman's indomitable spirit enabled her to overcomethe odds stacked firmly against her and make an immeasurable impact on thelives of football fans with disabilities and their families.

Whatdo Boris Johnson, Marmite and snakes have in common? They are all firstmentions that have wacky and wonderful second mentions. See if you can matchthem up! 'The beloved yeasty spread''The hissing reptiles''The clown prince of politics'From@SecondMentions, christened 'the best thing on social media' by The Times,comes a colourful collection of creative linguistic curiosities. Toavoid repetition, journalists often try to be inventive when referencing somethingfor the second time in an article - for example, Santa Claus might appear as'the bearded present-bearer', while Jack Grealish might be dubbed 'thefop-haired footie pin-up'. Once you see one, you start seeing them everywhere -and it becomes addictive. Formore than ten years, Juliet and Matthew Maguire have been collecting theirfavourites on social media. @SecondMentions has become a hub for journalists,linguaphiles and anyone looking for some light-hearted relief while wadingthrough the news. Bringingtogether the best and brightest second mentions for animals, actors, food,sports and more, The Little Book of Second Mentions is the perfect readfor anyone with a passion for the power of the English language.

The story of Margaret Thatcher'spost-premiership years is a tale of high drama and low farce, with, at itsheart, one extraordinary woman. Margaret Thatcher enjoyed perhaps one of themost consequential political afterlives in British history. No longer in officebut never really out of power, she was not only one of the most impactful PrimeMinisters the UK has ever had; she was also one of the most impactful formerPrime Ministers the UK has ever had. British politics today undoubtedlyreflects Thatcher's time in No. 10, but it is also shaped by her later life andhow people reacted and still react to it. To mark the centenary of her birth, MargaretThatcher: Life After Downing Street provides a radical reassessment of howThatcher's premier emeritus years have been viewed to date. Covering the fourmain areas of her work after Downing Street - philosophy, party, policy andperformance - and analysing her continued and continuing influence on theConservative leaders and Prime Ministers of all parties who followed her, itdemonstrates why, however small the politics may or may not have got since1990, Margaret Thatcher is still big.

An adult great white is a big shark – reallybig. It has been responsible for more shark bites and human deaths than anyother species, according to the International Shark Attack File. This isprobably because it sees us as aberrant marine mammals flailing about in thewater and certainly worth an exploratory bite – but a gentle mouthing from atwo-tonne white shark, its jaws filled with row upon row of razor-sharp teeth,could result in a severe mauling for any victim unlucky enough to haveattracted its attention. Though its danger was well known to ancientmariners, it was not until the mid-1970s that it came to occupy its currentplace in the popular imagination, when Jaws was unleashed on anunsuspecting public. The great white shark’s reputation hit rock bottom in thewake of the Spielberg classic. But during the fifty years since the film’sfirst release, public interest in the species has sparked a renaissance inresearch, producing remarkable new insights into the life of this extraordinaryanimal. Telling the story of the great white sharkfrom the perspectives of history, psychology and biology, White Shark isnothing less than the biography of the world’s most fascinating fish.

The sale of Chelsea Football Club in 2022 wasone of the highest-profile and most controversial sports transactions of alltime. In the shadow of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, what unfolded after RomanAbramovich was forced to put his beloved club up for sale would change Englishfootball for ever. Under the threat of bankruptcy and ruin, Chelsea pulled offa complex transaction in three tense and troubling months - a quarter of the timemany analysts would normally set aside for such a deal. Sanctioned isthe definitive account of this unique period. Through unprecedented access to Abramovich himselfand key figures from Chelsea's new ownership, as well as further interviewswith a star-studded footballing cast, Nick Purewal unfolds a wide-ranging taleof political sanctions, hushed negotiations and Cold War-style geopolitics, alltold in vivid, propulsive prose against a backdrop of war on the edge ofEurope. From the club's owners to its staff, players andsupporters, via UK government intervention, dramatic peace talks and even a foul-playpoisoning episode, Sanctioned chronicles ninety-five extraordinary daysin English football.

The Art of Delivery ventures inside 10Downing Street at the turn of the millennium to unveil how Tony Blair'sgovernment successfully transformed the public services we value most. Though the Blair government had a hugemandate, there remained fundamental challenges to success - not least theBlair-Brown rivalry, which manifested itself in a proxy war over the directionof public service reform. Nevertheless, over four years, the Prime Minister'sDelivery Unit, led by Sir Michael Barber, upgraded the way in which the Britishgovernment implemented improvements to the NHS and the education system. Italso represented a watershed for how Prime Ministers engage with the real-worlddelivery of their priorities. Until now, much of this narrative hasremained untold. Based on brand-new research and analysis, Michelle Clementuncovers the full story, drawing on 600,000 words of Sir Michael Barber'sunpublished, handwritten private diaries as well as exclusive interviews andgovernment papers. Filled with revealing insider detail, this is a humanaccount of what it takes to effect change from behind that famous black door.

For so many decades, Hackney wasthe pinnacle of the dynamic multicultural spirit of modern Britain,demonstrated by the borough's vibrant and energetic streets and oftencontroversial political, cultural and socio-economic character. But today, theHackney that long-standing residents once treasured seems to be disappearing. The borough's diverse working-class communities - who survived the run-downcouncil estates, the overwhelming deprivation and the postcode wars - areincreasingly being pushed out by the middle classes who buy up their homes,rename their shops and reshape their neighbourhoods. How did Hackney go from being oneof the poorest and most uninviting places in the country to being one of themost sought-after locations? In these pages, lifelong resident Richard Yeboahuncovers the borough's lively history, revealing the uncomfortable story of howgentrification has transformed Hackney, for better or for worse. Examining some of the mostcontested issues facing the borough today - including housing and regeneration,politics, class, race, education, youth violence, culture and gender identity -Yeboah amplifies the voices of Hackney's new, existing and former communitiesand explores the relationship between gentrification and feelings of belongingand loss. From Hackney, With Love isboth a unique love letter to one of the most vibrant parts of London and awarning that its very existence is in jeopardy.