Ken: The Ups and Downs of Ken Livingstone

Ken: The Ups and Downs of Ken Livingstone

by Andrew Hosken (Author), Andrew Hosken (Author), Ken Livingstone (Collaborator)

Synopsis

From the provocative biographer of Shirley Porter comes a comprehensive and fascinating account of Ken Livingstone's extraordinary life and career. For nearly thirty years, this controversial political chameleon has been making headlines, antagonising, shocking, and delighting the public and press in equal measure. After taking control of the GLC through an audacious internal coup in 1981, his career was transformed in 2000 when he became the first directly elected Mayor of London as an independent in the teeth of a fierce campaign by Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell.Since then, he has won the 2012 Olympics and led the capital during the dark days following the 7th July 2005 terrorist attacks. In May 2008, he's likely to face his greatest political challenge in the shape of Tory Mayoral hopeful Boris Johnson. Andrew Hosken charts a unique political career of a man often described as Britain's second most powerful politician - a story characterised by ambition, controversy and ruthlessness.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 435
Edition: 1st
Publisher: Arcadia Books
Published: 10 Apr 2008

ISBN 10: 1905147724
ISBN 13: 9781905147724

Media Reviews
'The talk of the London Book Fair is news that investigative author Andrew Hosken, a senior reporter for Radio 4's Today programme, has just signed up to write an unauthorised biography of the Mayor. Last year he published a scathing biography of disgraced former Tory Westminster Council Chief Dame Shirley Porter' - Londoner's Diary, Evening Standard 'Saturation media coverage around the 2008 London Mayoral election should lead to national interest. There are few politicians around who can polarise opinion like Ken Livingstone, and here Hosken charts his unique and controversial political career'- Greg Eden (Waterstone's), Ones to Watch, The Bookseller'Ken has agreed to be interviewed for the biography, Ken hasn't always obeyed the idea of keeping one's enemies close, but he undoubtedly reckons this is a good way to be forewarned of anything Andrew intends to write ' - Oliver Marre, Observer'Arcadia paid its largest advance for an unauthorised biography of Ken Livingstone. Hosken admits he is unsure how many skeletons he will find lurking in Ken's closet' - Celia Walden, Daily Telegraph'A splendid book, as easy to read as a good thriller. If we're to have a relatively clean political culture, people ... have to know there are writers like Andrew Hosken about' - Guardian on Nothing Like a Dame
Author Bio
Andrew Hosken is a senior reporter on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, investigating a range of stories at home and abroad. In 2003, he won the One World Media Award for a series on Algerian terrorism for Today. He lives in London.