A WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024A century ago, a Labour government took power for the first time. Meet the "Wild Men" who led the way...'Superb' -- New Statesman'Fascinating' -- The Sunday Times.In 1923, five short years since the end of the First World War, and after the passing of the Act which gave all men the vote, an inconclusive election result and the prospect of a...

'David Torrance chronicles this decisive moment in British history with colourful, fascinating detail' - The Times'Compelling ... Vivid ... Fascinating' - Financial Times'Superb' - The SpectatorThe extraordinary story of the General Strike of 1926, from the author of the critically acclaimed The Wild Men.On Tuesday 4 May 1926, two million workers downed to...

How did working-class girl from Ayrshire become one of Scotland and the UK's most prominent politicians?Identified as a rising star by the SNP leadership shortly after she joined the party as a teenager, when the Nationalists formed their first Scottish Government in 2007 Nicola Sturgeon swiftly became one of its most successful ministers. By the time Alex Salmond resigned as First Minister after the No vote in the Scottish independence referendum, she was viewed as his natural successor, ...

A biography of the Scottish leader by an author with "an excellent eye for political detail" ( Scotland on Sunday).Nicola Sturgeon became involved in politics as a teenager, and then began a law career in Glasgow. She would go on to become Scotland's youngest parliamentary candidate in 1992, in her early twenties. Considered a rising star, she eventually reached the pinnacle of Scottish government as First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party...

Bloomsbury presents The Edge of Revolution written and read by David TorranceAuthor of the critically acclaimed The Wild Men, David Torrance explores another tumultuous and era-defining moment in British political history.On Tuesday 4 May 1926, two million workers downed tools in the only nationwide all-hands strike ever held in Britain. The General Strike had begun, and the country braced itself for what many believed was a moment akin to...

On 18 September 2014, Scots will decide their future: should the country quit the United Kingdom and take control of its own destiny, or should it remain part of what advocates call the most successful political and economic union of modern times? Everyone in the country has a stake in this decision. Now, in this fascinating and insightful new book, David Torrance charts the countdown to the big day, weaving his way through a minefield of claim and counterclaim, and knocking down fictions ...

Michael Foot was speaking affectionately when in 1979 he quipped that David Steel had apparently gone from 'rising hope to elder statesman' without any intervening period whatsoever. But the remark also neatly captured a career which had seen 'the Boy David' enter the House of Commons aged only twenty-six, become leader of the Liberal Party in 1976 (at thirty-eight years old one of the youngest party leaders in British history) and then, within months of his election, lead his party into a...

On 18 September 2014, everyone in Scotland aged 16 or over will be asked the question: 'Should Scotland Be An Independent Country? 'As the referendum approaches, the debates over whether or not Scotland should be an independent country are becoming more heated. This guide, produced by respected Scottish journalists and authors, Jamie Maxwell and David Torrance, covers everything you need to know in advance of deciding which way to vote. Maxwell and Torrance summarise the main arguments for...

Should the United Kingdom remain a part of the European Union or leave the European Union? This is the question we will have to answer on 23 June, when we head to the ballot boxes to cast our votes in the in/out referendum on EU membership. It's a complicated issue. What, exactly, would the much discussed 'Brexit' mean for the UK? With varied opinions on the EU from all over the political spectrum, do you know enough to make an informed decision? This non-partisan guide features chapters o...

Was it simply a victory for fear over hope?How did the Better Together campaign come so close to losing it?How did the Yes campaign come so close to winning it?What can the people of Scotland - and other aspirant nations - learn from this seismic democratic event? Scotland's independence referendum on 18 September 2014 was the most significant ballot in Scotland's history. The 100 days up to 18 September was the official campaign period and the world's media ...

NEW POST-REFERENDUM EDITION.Alex Salmond is well known in Scotland, the UK and beyond as the leader of the Scottish National Party and Scotland's First Minister, but relatively little is understood about Salmond as a human being, what makes him a Nationalist, what shaped his political views, and what sort of country he believes an independent Scotland can be. In this first biography, with which close colleagues and friends have co-operated, the acclaimed political biographer David ...

David Torrance, younger brother of Thomas and James Torrance, retired minister in the Church of Scotland, recounts experiences and lessons from pastoral ministry. He discusses the importance of the faith of Christ, of prayer, of grace and forgiveness.