What do you think?
Rate this book
Broken Yard: The Fall of the Metropolitan Police
All to Play For, the anticipated follow-up edition to Going for The Rise of Rishi Sunak
PRAISE FOR GOING FOR BROKE
"The fullest account yet written of Sunak the rising star." – Andrew Gimson, ConservativeHome
"Clearly written, lively and perceptive, and contains much insight on the complex world of Tory politics." – Vernon Bogdanor, Prospect Magazine
***
The speed of Rishi Sunak's advance to 10 Downing Street is without precedent in modern British politics. In mid-2019, he was an unknown junior minister; seven months later, he became Chancellor of the Exchequer; and by October 2022, he had secured the highest office in the land. Aged forty-two, he was Britain's youngest Prime Minister in more than 200 years.
Michael Ashcroft's biography – first published in 2020 and now fully revised and updated – charts Sunak's ascent to the University of Oxford, the City of London, Silicon Valley and Westminster before assuming the most powerful job in the country in chaotic circumstances.
It is the story of a clever and hard-working son of immigrant parents who marries an heiress and makes a fortune of his own; a polished southerner who wins over the voters of North Yorkshire; a fiscal conservative who becomes the biggest-spending Chancellor in history; and a fastidious political operator tasked with reuniting the Conservative Party and repairing an economy in flux.
Casting new light on Sunak's tense working relationship with his predecessor, Boris Johnson, All to Play For shows what makes him tick ahead of a general election whose outcome will have profound consequences for Britain.
PRAISE FOR GOING FOR BROKE
"The fullest account yet written of Sunak the rising star." – Andrew Gimson, ConservativeHome
"Clearly written, lively and perceptive, and contains much insight on the complex world of Tory politics." – Vernon Bogdanor, Prospect Magazine
***
The speed of Rishi Sunak's advance to 10 Downing Street is without precedent in modern British politics. In mid-2019, he was an unknown junior minister; seven months later, he became Chancellor of the Exchequer; and by October 2022, he had secured the highest office in the land. Aged forty-two, he was Britain's youngest Prime Minister in more than 200 years.
Michael Ashcroft's biography – first published in 2020 and now fully revised and updated – charts Sunak's ascent to the University of Oxford, the City of London, Silicon Valley and Westminster before assuming the most powerful job in the country in chaotic circumstances.
It is the story of a clever and hard-working son of immigrant parents who marries an heiress and makes a fortune of his own; a polished southerner who wins over the voters of North Yorkshire; a fiscal conservative who becomes the biggest-spending Chancellor in history; and a fastidious political operator tasked with reuniting the Conservative Party and repairing an economy in flux.
Casting new light on Sunak's tense working relationship with his predecessor, Boris Johnson, All to Play For shows what makes him tick ahead of a general election whose outcome will have profound consequences for Britain.
483 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2022
16 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Tom Harper
56 books197 followersTom Harper was born in West Germany in 1977 and grew up in Germany, Belgium and America; he now lives in England. He is chair of the Crime Writers' Association and also a member of the Historical Novels Society and the Society of Authors.
Tom Harper also writes historical adventures as Edwin Thomas.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Tom Harper also writes historical adventures as Edwin Thomas.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 1, 2024
This was a fascinating expose of the biggest police force in the country, using a few key cases to highlight the endemic corruption and mismanagement that goes on at the heart of our criminal justice system.
I enjoyed the narrative format, which allowed long-running cases like Daniel Morgan’s and Stephen Lawrence’s to be explored across longer time periods, although in the same vein I would have liked to see greater discussion of more recent events, which did feel slightly tacked onto the end with Partygate and Sarah Everard.
Overall though, a really interesting insight into the Met, which should shock all who read it.
I enjoyed the narrative format, which allowed long-running cases like Daniel Morgan’s and Stephen Lawrence’s to be explored across longer time periods, although in the same vein I would have liked to see greater discussion of more recent events, which did feel slightly tacked onto the end with Partygate and Sarah Everard.
Overall though, a really interesting insight into the Met, which should shock all who read it.
May 31, 2025
A fascinating investigation of the issues bedevilling the Met police, demonstrated through a range of cases, all of which I had heard of, but many of which I only dimly understood - including the murders of Daniel Morgan, Stephen Lawrence and Sarah Everard; the false child abuse allegations of 'Nick' (Carl Beech), and the phone hacking scandal.
I do recommend it, I found it fascinating, but I think Tom Harper's publisher should have suggested some amendments. Most of all, an index. WHY NO INDEX?! Never have I longed for one more! Certain police officers crop up several times, over a range of chapters - the book is roughly chronological, and the Lawrence and Morgan cases have dragged on for years, with multiple investigations of varying quality. It would have been super handy to have had an index to refer back to them...
A list of the commissioners over the time-period covered would also have helped.
But these niggles aside, do read it. Especially if you live, or ever have lived, in London.
I do recommend it, I found it fascinating, but I think Tom Harper's publisher should have suggested some amendments. Most of all, an index. WHY NO INDEX?! Never have I longed for one more! Certain police officers crop up several times, over a range of chapters - the book is roughly chronological, and the Lawrence and Morgan cases have dragged on for years, with multiple investigations of varying quality. It would have been super handy to have had an index to refer back to them...
A list of the commissioners over the time-period covered would also have helped.
But these niggles aside, do read it. Especially if you live, or ever have lived, in London.
December 15, 2024
I listened to the audiobook. What I gained from this book was being introduced to the idea that significant causes of the Met's failings are ongoing corruption and a culture that isn't really focused on crime prevention or solving crimes. Prior to listening to this audiobook, I probably would have identified under-resourcing as much more significant.
The incidents dicussed have been well covered by the news and I wasn't particularly interested in the additional details provided here. From the style, I wasn't wholly convinced that this was a balanced account, but I have no evidence otherwise. The book probably serves as a good compliation of information about serious failings of the Metropolitan Police but that just wasn't very engaging for me.
The incidents dicussed have been well covered by the news and I wasn't particularly interested in the additional details provided here. From the style, I wasn't wholly convinced that this was a balanced account, but I have no evidence otherwise. The book probably serves as a good compliation of information about serious failings of the Metropolitan Police but that just wasn't very engaging for me.
March 8, 2025
A sad and depressing account of how the Met senior management has failed continuously to step up and confront endemic corruption, and continues to do so. Having served 30 years in the Met I can attest to the overwhelming number of professional, skilled and decent officers whose reputation was often sullied by these corrupt individuals.
I know personally some of those quoted and I would urge readers to read their accounts with a critical eye. But one cannot escape the fact that the organisation had been beset by scandal, so often handled appallingly by senior managers, many of whom had no right to hold the rank.
I know personally some of those quoted and I would urge readers to read their accounts with a critical eye. But one cannot escape the fact that the organisation had been beset by scandal, so often handled appallingly by senior managers, many of whom had no right to hold the rank.
October 21, 2023
This was good and I would recommend this if you’re interested in this topic or need to reference it in an essay. It gave a detailed account of failures in the Met Police. However I can’t say I agree with the idea that the police are afraid to investigate crimes because of the ethnicity of the perpetrators. My research says the opposite. I am well versed in a lot of the things mentioned in this book so it dragged a little for me but if you’re new to the topic it’s very informative.
January 15, 2023
Much of this book was familiar to me but it still ranks as an exceptional read and is superbly written.
There are no photographs and no index, which would have benefitted the book enormously. For this reason I've awarded 4 stars instead of 5.
There are also a few proofreading errors but not enough to curtail my enjoyment of the book.
Highly recommended.
There are no photographs and no index, which would have benefitted the book enormously. For this reason I've awarded 4 stars instead of 5.
There are also a few proofreading errors but not enough to curtail my enjoyment of the book.
Highly recommended.
September 15, 2024
I have no interest in reading polemics. By all means tell me story, lay out your case, but this is like a series of headlines that (as far as I went) seem to have no cohesive structure, apart from the obvious.
I am in no doubt that the core element of the book is true, but I have a big doubt about this author's ability as a writer.
I am in no doubt that the core element of the book is true, but I have a big doubt about this author's ability as a writer.
September 17, 2023
My mother worked for the forensics department in my home city and I grew up always on the side of the police until I moved to a different city and had some run-ins with them myself reporting crimes. Never seen such fuck-ups. It seems the same can be said for the Met.
May 14, 2024
A rather bleak read due to the subject matter. 3*s because it was interesting but the author focuses a lot of the book on incidents from 30 years ago when the Met had a totally different leadership and culture.
February 14, 2023
this was really good! extremely eye opening and very well researched and well argued. sped through it and found myself outraged by a lot of it.
March 25, 2023
It's a shame that after nearly 500 pages exploring police corruption and incompetence that the suggestion is "police need more funding" but an otherwise excellent read.
November 12, 2024
Pretty poor, treats rumour as fact.
January 21, 2025
This should have been brilliant; an in-depth investigation of an organisation that seems to ricochet from one crisis to the next, hobbled by poor, corrupt management. Having abandoned 'policing by consent' in recent years, the 'Met adopted a new strategy of 'policing with fear and favour' with special interest groups taking priority at the expense of the majority of citizens.
The Introduction is very good, but then Broken Yard diverges markedly. Two key threads of incompetence and corruption run through it; the numerous investigations into the murders of Daniel Morgan and Stephen Lawrence, with other chapters devoted to other scandals, including the run-in's the 'Met managed to have with the Tories, the shooting of Jean Charles de Menez's, the ease with which Nigerian businessman James Ibori managed to 'own' the force, the 'Nick' fantasist and others. There are persistent threads, not not least how the senior officers of the MPS manage to constantly let matters get out-of-hand through mismanagement, incompetence, deeply-ingrained corruption and well, stupidity.
The incompetence is mind-boggling, but even then there are seemingly well-thought-out moments of malicious activity, particularly in the detail with which Tom Harper eviscerates current Commissioner Mark Rowley, who stands accused with well-documented evidence that he has turned a blind eye to the Mets failure to investigate and highlight child abuse cases. Rowley has somehow managed to survive that scandal, and even the more recent antisemitism blunders his individual officers and Press Office have been making. Surely the next blunder will claim him?
There are unfortunately shortfalls. The lack of an Index (in my 2023 paperback edition) is a key one. Indeed it is pretty unforgivable. Perhaps the hardback had it but the publisher dropped it to save...paper? Otherwise, not having an Index prepared and ready for publication was a blunder. It would have helped with this review, but its absence reduces the use of this volume for long-term research purposes.
And Tom's devotion through much of the book's later half to Clive Driscoll, the detective who managed to pursue the murderers of Stephen Lawrence and actually gain convictions, despite the best efforts of the 'Mets fabulously-incompetent management, isn't as warranted as perhaps he thinks. Even a cursory review of Driscoll's involvement with satanic ritual abuse myth-promoting psychotherapist Valerie Sinason would reveal that he suffers from the same tendency to being easily fooled as many of his less illustrious peers.
On the same subject, Tom appears to have missed the then-well-publicised bluder by Det Chief Supt Peter Spindler who sent 30 officers from the 'Mets child abuse team on a one-day event in October 2004 which promoted the SRA myth.
So...three-out-of-five stars. The lack of an Index is painful, but perhaps later editions will correct that. And Broken Yard deserves an updated edition. It's good where it's good, but some flaws do let it down.
The Introduction is very good, but then Broken Yard diverges markedly. Two key threads of incompetence and corruption run through it; the numerous investigations into the murders of Daniel Morgan and Stephen Lawrence, with other chapters devoted to other scandals, including the run-in's the 'Met managed to have with the Tories, the shooting of Jean Charles de Menez's, the ease with which Nigerian businessman James Ibori managed to 'own' the force, the 'Nick' fantasist and others. There are persistent threads, not not least how the senior officers of the MPS manage to constantly let matters get out-of-hand through mismanagement, incompetence, deeply-ingrained corruption and well, stupidity.
The incompetence is mind-boggling, but even then there are seemingly well-thought-out moments of malicious activity, particularly in the detail with which Tom Harper eviscerates current Commissioner Mark Rowley, who stands accused with well-documented evidence that he has turned a blind eye to the Mets failure to investigate and highlight child abuse cases. Rowley has somehow managed to survive that scandal, and even the more recent antisemitism blunders his individual officers and Press Office have been making. Surely the next blunder will claim him?
There are unfortunately shortfalls. The lack of an Index (in my 2023 paperback edition) is a key one. Indeed it is pretty unforgivable. Perhaps the hardback had it but the publisher dropped it to save...paper? Otherwise, not having an Index prepared and ready for publication was a blunder. It would have helped with this review, but its absence reduces the use of this volume for long-term research purposes.
And Tom's devotion through much of the book's later half to Clive Driscoll, the detective who managed to pursue the murderers of Stephen Lawrence and actually gain convictions, despite the best efforts of the 'Mets fabulously-incompetent management, isn't as warranted as perhaps he thinks. Even a cursory review of Driscoll's involvement with satanic ritual abuse myth-promoting psychotherapist Valerie Sinason would reveal that he suffers from the same tendency to being easily fooled as many of his less illustrious peers.
On the same subject, Tom appears to have missed the then-well-publicised bluder by Det Chief Supt Peter Spindler who sent 30 officers from the 'Mets child abuse team on a one-day event in October 2004 which promoted the SRA myth.
So...three-out-of-five stars. The lack of an Index is painful, but perhaps later editions will correct that. And Broken Yard deserves an updated edition. It's good where it's good, but some flaws do let it down.
December 6, 2024
Investigation into poor police work.
Incredible ineptitude at the highest levels.
The public taxes funded these bunglers.
Incredible ineptitude at the highest levels.
The public taxes funded these bunglers.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews