Guy Lodge Books

"A truly gripping and important book of contemporary history."—Robert Skidelsky A leading British political and social commentator offers the definitive account of Gordon Brown's premiership, his troubled era and legacy, and his relationship with Barack Obama. It relates, for the first time, the full extraordinary tale of the pivotal role played by Brown in persuading the world’s leaders to address the global banking crisis head-on, revealing how Brown shared Obama’s goals for fiscal stimulus, but how he risked demeaning himself by basking in the president’s post-election glory.

Following the signing of the Edinburgh Agreement in October 2012, Scotland’s voters are promised a referendum on independence in autumn 2014. If they reject both options, the proposed changes from the Calman Commission’s review on Scottish Devolution will most likely be put in place. But what will happen after the referendum? How will Westminster and the rest of the UK respond? What would a Calman regime entail? Is it even clear what independence will mean? What about the oil? What will the currency be? What will happen to the Old Age Pension pot if the UK splits? This book explains what both options would entail, in plain language, presenting the facts without taking sides. It focuses, not on which option is likely to win, but on how the options would be put into place.