On this World Book Day, the importance of literacy and reading has never been greater. On a global scale, there is cause for celebration: only 12% of people in the world could read and write in 1820, with that proportion inversing in 2016, where 14% reflected the number of people who couldn’t read and write.
In the UK, a slightly different story: Whilst 16% of adults have the lowest level of proficiency (perhaps a statistic we would expect to be lower, seeing as the UK is one of the wealthiest countries in the world), 31% of adults (and 46% of young people) don’t read in their free time.
Luckily, Chamber UK readers have the chance to have their reading passion reinvigorated through book reviews published in our quarterly journals. Read on for the previews, in celebration of World Book Day.
Book Review: But What Can i Do? – Alastair Campbell
In our June 23 Journal, Communications Advisor Laura Emily Dunn reviewed the book, quickly referencing much of the doom and gloom that is now popular among former Whitehall grandees.
Campbell’s The Rest is Politics co-host Rory Stewart also released a book highlighting the many woes of politics (Stewart was, let’s not forget, beaten in the Conservative Party leadership election by Boris Johnson), but whereas Stewart ended on a dull note, Laura highlights Campbell’s optimism, or more accurately, his belief that we can, theoretically, change the direction of politics. How? You’ll have to get hold of our journal to find out…
Levelling up 2.0 – Sir Robert Buckland MP
Published by Chamber UK’s partner policy institute Curia, with contributions including many Conservative MPs and local/regional government leaders, Levelling Up 2.0 refreshes the Government’s flagship policy to address geographic and demographic inequalities across the UK.
Curia CEO, Ben Howlett dives into the 100+ page ‘Blueprint for the Future’ as it not only examines the Levelling Up the United Kingdom White Paper, but explores solutions that commits to ‘the unwavering commitment’ of authors to the Levelling Up agenda (an agenda supported cross-party)
Attlee: A Life in Politics – Nick Thomas Symons MP
Clement Attlee was the first Prime Minister to successfully deliver a Labour majority government, in British History. As polling hints at a similar electoral result in the next General Election, Nick Thomas Symonds fittingly explores the achievements of Attlee in his time as Prime Minister.
For those historical nerds among you, Attlee will also be known as the longest-serving leader of the Labour party (a humbling 20 years), but, having taken charge of the country after the war and with much ambition, it is his achievements as Prime Minister which the book focusses on.
Of course, much of the book’s focus surrounds his delivery on the NHS, the welfare state, planning and housing, with Symonds emphasising these successes, moving Britain towards higher employment, nationalisation and wider government intervention. He also takes a look at Attlee’s engagement with Murphy’s Law, as Labour MPs, in 1950-51, opposed calling the election, refused writing budgets, resigned and Attlee’s majority began wavering.
As Labour’s upcoming general election success becomes all-the-more likely, this book offers much advice that may well be relevant to nowadays, especially to those readers who might be considering how a potential Labour government could persevere or fall.
More book reviews to come
As Chamber UK readies to publish its 6th journal, there will be more book reviews, carefully curated for our readers. Chamber UK is committed to delivering stories from the Council to the Commons, which means making sure that stories are told through books too! Have you heard about a great new autobiography? Published a bestselling political novel? Get in touch and share your thoughts