Meyer's controversial memoirs (DC Confidential - Christopher Meyer)

Member Name: julwhite

Product:	DC Confidential - Christopher Meyer
Date:	16/05/08 (38 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Interesting views on Britain's role in the Iraq war

Disadvantages: Not well written, insulting to people who deserved better

Christopher Meyer was the Ambassador to the United States from 1997 to 2003, and had previously been both John Major and Geoffrey Howe's Press Secretary. This book was published in 2005 to much controversy for some of its revelations, which some unhappy that a former Ambassador should publish such a book. Meyer is now the Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission.

I've only recently read this book, and at first was a little reluctant to as I personally don't think that he should have written a book, given the trusted position that he had. However, despite that initial concern, I did persevere and read the book, and it was a disappointing read.

Overall, I found the style of the book very hard to read and monotonous, jumping around issues and subjects without really analysing the relevant bits. I'm personally not interested in the fact that when he was John Major's Press Secretary he saw Mr Major in various states of attire in the morning. It's irrelevant, insulting to the man who appointed him, and it also means that the important issues of the Major Government are missed out.

Indeed, despite Sir Christopher Meyer being Press Secretary to two very interesting politicians, John Major and Geoffrey Howe, and revealing more about the men and how they did their job, the coverage he gives to these subjects is minimal.

Instead, the base of the book is about his time as Ambassador to the United States, and especially the Iraq war. Although he left in 2003 when the Iraq War was really getting underway and the politicians seemed to be floundering, Meyer should have some really interesting comments to make. In my opinion, there is little of interest, just lots of irrelevant little bits of gossip about individuals, and observations which seem at best unnecssary to reveal, and at worst, plain spiteful.

The book actually gives the impression to me of being less a serious memoir, and more an opportunity for the author to insult particular individuals whom he might not have taken to, or later decided that maybe he should not have taken to. There are sentences such as this, "Rumour has it that Cherie Blair took the opportunity to berate the President over his support for capital punishment". I would like to know whether he believes this rumour to be true, where he heard the rumour from, not just filling the book with spurious comments.

Cherie Blair does seem to have come off rather unfavourably in this book, and John Major fares little better, more in the latter's case from what is not mentioned, rather than what is. Other individuals seem to be given much more credit, with no real explanation as to why.

The coverage of the twin towers disaster from September 2001 is also mentioned, but again, the book reveals very little. It is commented, by way of an ancedote, that Christopher Meyer was with John Major when they heard of the disaster, but Meyer makes no indication as to what this former Prime Minister thought of the situation.

The one point of note is that Meyer does make a political argument that maybe Britain could have done more to influence the American Government and President Bush into not rushing into a war with Iraq quite so quickly, and maybe delaying the whole war. That is of interest, it's interesting to me to know that Blair had the power and influence to delay the war, given his strong links with President George W Bush.

So overall, I found this book just a little too arrogant and self-serving. I'm not convinced that officials trusted in civil service roles should try to make money from their memoirs in this way, but to do so in a book which I personally found disjointed, dull and insulting to many people who were good to Meyer is especially disappointing. A poor read.

Summary: Self-serving memoirs, a disappointment