101 ways to spend the election campaign (First Among Equals - Jeffrey Archer)

Member Name: Nolly

Product:	First Among Equals - Jeffrey Archer
Date:	09/05/01 (151 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good story, "a novel that only Archer could have written"

Disadvantages: Well, it's Jeffrey Archer isn't it!

It is purely unintentional, but I think that it is a wonderful coincidence that I should choose to write an opinion about Jeffrey Archer's 'First Among Equals' on the very day that our glorious leader chose to call a General Election. The other thing that I must state from the start is that I am not a fan of Lord Archer - in fact I feel him to be detestable excuse for a disgraced ex-politician, allegedly of course. But what is it about this novel that makes it one of my 'must reads' whenever election fever hits the country?

The novel is epic in its scale. It was written in 1984 and covers the years 1964 - 1992. It follows the careers of four new MPs from their first days under the Wilson government in the mid-60s:

Charles Seymour - Wealthy merchant banker and the second son of an earl (Conservative)

Simon Kerslake - Middle Class achiever (Conservative)

Raymond Gould - Hard-working barrister from North Yorkshire (Labour)

Andrew Fraser - Scottish, son of a former Tory Lord Provost of Edinburgh (Labour)

Each of these politicians has a long career in the house. They rise up through the ranks of their respective political parties, from the back benches to ministerial posts and back again, the Cabinet, party leaders and the ultimate objective, First Lord of the Treasury, the First Among Equals, the Prime Minister.

None of the respective members of the parties has what you could call a seemless rise to power. Each of them has his own personal foible that causes him a problem, be it an ill-judged liaison with a lady of the night (was this providential?), ruthless ambition, personal tragedy or lack of business acumen. Events are portrayed against a backdrop of political events as they stand in history, with a little embroidered touch here and there. Archer's background in politics serves him in good stead as he gives us a flavour of the ongoing machinations in the corridors of power, and
the seemingly antiquated practices that add colour to the 'mother of all parliaments'.

The problem of the novel is that it is somewhat dated. Back in the early 80s it was fine to write that Labour would win in '87, that the Queen would abdicate on her 65th birthday, and that the SDP would eventually hold the balance of power - it all makes for wonderful, imaginative reading that does not lead to the reader wondering if the author has taken leave of his senses. But reading it again in the cold light of day in 2001, after 18 years of Conservative power, including 11 of the 'Mad Granny from Grantham', and the rise of New Labour with the leader who wished he had been sponsored by Right Guard, it seems just a little, shall we say, passé.

It isn't really comparable with novels like 'House of cards', as they deal with the shenanigans within one party, the back-biting and 'wheels within wheels', but it is a fun read if you suspend your memories of the last 18 years.

If you want something to provide a pleasant diversion from now until June 7th, this may well be the book!

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