The popularity of political literature has contributed to the success of the UK’s publishing industry, which exceeded £7 billion in revenue for the first time in 2023.
In 2016, Waterstones experienced its first spike in political book sales leading up to the Brexit vote and the US election. A second spike occurred in 2018, with the retailer’s sales surpassing those of 2015 and 2016, and its year-to-date sales up by more than 50% on the previous 12 months. According to The Guardian, politics and government titles were the fastest-growing category in non-fiction, up 170% in 2018, with 1.8 million books sold. This surge was driven by texts such as Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, which sold more than 100,000 copies.
This trend reflects a growing appetite for accessible political analysis, particularly among young voters. Gen Z has faced unique circumstances in recent years, including a global pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, increasing climate anxiety, and Brexit. These events have sparked large and highly vocal protest movements, and many young voters will be voting for the first time in the upcoming election.
This has prompted a surge in books addressing these issues, including works by politicians and former prime ministers (PMs). Liz Truss’s book about her 49-day tenure as PM sold only 2,228 copies in the UK in its first week, a modest figure compared to David Cameron’s For the Record, which sold 21,000 copies, and Tony Blair’s autobiography A Journey, which sold 92,000 copies, in their respective first weeks.
Ahead of the general election (4 July), CORQ has compiled a list of the top British political books from the past year that shed light on our current political landscape and may inform the vote.
1. But What Can I Do? by Alastair Campbell
Political adviser and co-host of the podcast The Rest is Politics Alistair Campbell wrote his book to empower individuals to become active participants in politics, dispel the myth that politics is only for the elite and offer practical steps for getting involved in activism. The former Labour strategist was a runner-up at the 2023 Parliamentary Book Awards with this title and it went to number one in the Sunday Times‘ bestseller list in the first week of publication.
2. Politics On the Edge by Rory Stewart
Stewart’s memoir offers a reflective account of his trajectory in British politics. He shares personal stories from his time as a member of parliament (MP) and government minister and highlights the challenges he faced during major events such as Brexit and his run for Conservative Party leadership. The podcaster’s book was a Sunday Times bestseller and at the time of writing is sitting at number three on Amazon’s Best Sellers list. It was also shortlisted for the best non-fiction book at the 2023 Parliamentary Book Awards.
3. It’s Not That Radical: Climate Action to Transform Our World by Mikaela Loach
Loach’s book urges readers to take essential steps in the fight against climate change. She offers practical advice on how individuals can engage with politics to advocate for climate justice, including lobbying politicians and participating in strikes. Her debut work earned her the Non-fiction Author of the Year award at Bookshop.org’s Indie Champion Awards. It was also recognised as one of the best books of the month by Apple Books when it was published in April 2023, and its launch event was a sold-out success.
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4. How Westminster Works… and Why It Doesn’t by Ian Dunt
Political journalist and broadcaster Ian Dunt specialises in issues such as immigration and social justice and appears regularly as a pundit on BBC and Sky News. In his book, Dunt delves into the intricacies of the British political system, offering insights into why Westminster often falls short of public expectations. His instant Sunday Times bestseller has been praised as an “eye-opening analysis” in publications such as The Guardian and The Times.
5. How They Broke Britain by James O’Brien
O’Brien examines the lack of accountability among political leaders and its role in eroding public trust in government. He scrutinises decisions such as Brexit and the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. The presenter and podcaster launched his paperback with a series of installations across London featuring QR codes that led to the digital version. The book was a Sunday Times bestseller, and his discussion at the Festival of Debate in May 2024 to promote the book was sold-out.
6. Breathe by Sadiq Khan
The Labour mayor of London has embarked on a mission to enhance the city’s green initiatives. His memoir, inspired by his struggle with asthma, identifies seven obstacles that derail environmental actions and proposes ways for Brits to prioritise climate action. The Observer hailed it as a “breath of fresh air”, while GQ described it as “passionate and authentic” and The Independent praised it as “rousing and thoughtful”.
7. A Woman Like Me by Diane Abbott
Labour politician Diane Abbott discusses challenging expectations by going from being a child of the Windrush generation to becoming the first elected Black female MP in the UK. Her cover reveal on X (formerly Twitter) gained more than 339K views and tickets for her book event at the Southbank Centre in London on 12 September are currently on sale.
By Abby Oldroyd, CORQ news and features writer. Picture credit: Alastair Campbell, Mikaela Loach and Rory Stewart via Instagram
