Whitehall through the Looking Glass

ISBN-13: 9781497306776 / Angielski / Miękka / 2014 / 450 str.

Henry Tam

Opis

When big corporations have taken control of the government, It's time for regime change. ***** The Consortium has brought America, which it practically owns through its corporate subsidiaries, back under the British Crown. In return, all it asks for is unfettered control over policy decisions in Whitehall. In this timid new world, nobody dares question the Consortium, and everybody is expected to carry out orders. But while many of his civil service colleagues jostle to be of the greatest service to their new political masters, Philip K. Rainsborough decides that enough is enough. He sets out to expose the Consortium's dark secrets. Unfortunately, the Consortium has on its side the Super Utility Network, the most advanced opinion manipulation technology in the world. And as life for most people sinks into chaos and misery, the Consortium remains as popular as ever by serving up gimmicks and endless scapegoats. To make things worse, a leading contender to become the top civil servant of the government is none other than his cold and calculating boss, who is poised to do anything to please the Prime Minister, and sabotage anyone who gets in the way of his promotion. Caught between the Consortium and subversives who want to overthrow the government, Rainsborough is desperate to find a way for a peaceful regime change. He is given a chance when Chief Supt Carrie Edel seeks his help in a murder case that may bring down the Prime Minister. But what is actually asked of him amounts to treason. In any event, even if he can pull it off, he suspects he won't live to tell the tale. ***** What the Commentators say: "Half asleep, the UK is becoming an ever more elitist society, that has left fairness and common-sense behind; and this is all beginning to feel entirely normal. What we need is Henry Tam's absurdist vision of Whitehall to help wake us all up." -Dr. Simon Duffy, Director, Centre for Welfare Reform. "Forget 'Yes, Minister' and 'The Thick of It'; if you want a sharp satirical look at life inside the corridors of power, read 'Whitehall through the Looking Glass', written by a true insider. ... Tam's novel also has a serious message about the dire consequences when corporations take over the running of a government. It should be read by anyone interested in the state of our democracy." -Sonny Leong, Chief Executive, Civil Service College. "This is a timely reminder of the dangers of the rapidly-accelerating corporatisation of our political and economic life. With private firms increasingly running our NHS and administering welfare, so many of the services we cherish are at risk from the profit motive. ... As the general election approaches, Tam's book is an important reminder of the risks of crude neoliberal ideology." -Frances O'Grady, General Secretary, TUC (Trades Union Congress). "Beautifully, deftly written, 'Whitehall through the Looking Glass' is dark and compelling reading. A deeply sobering wake up call to us all against the political complacency of our times." -Dame Jane Roberts, Chair, NLGN (New Local Government Network). "Tam strips back the veil on a world dominated and decimated by a ruthless consortium. ... The narrative is all the more compelling because Tam's world is often as familiar as it is fantastical. This is not so much a lesson from history as a warning from the here and now. It's a cautionary tale and a call to action, but also a gripping read." -Peter Bradley, Director, Speakers' Corner Trust. "Although set in the future, the civil service lampooned in 'Whitehall through the Looking Glass' is instantly recognisable to anyone who's been part of it. Tam's novel paints a superb picture of how people can be governed, or rather manipulated, by unscrupulous politicians. Funny, alarming, and poignant, it's quite an achievement." -Ellie Roy, former Crime Reduction Director, Home Office (Chief Executive, Youth Justice Board, 2004-2008).

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