The Back of an Envelope

As one of Britain's foremost constitutional experts and contemporary historians, Peter Hennessy has spent his professional life unpacking the arcane world of Whitehall and Westminster.In this new volume, he brings together selected journalism, unpublished lectures, and new writing alongside personal recollections and reflections on his time observing post-war Britain, how it is governed, and those who do the governing. He reflects on the making and unmaking of prime ministers from Attlee to Truss, life in the House of Lords, and the changing constitutional landscape in the wake of Brexit and in the midst of uncertainty about the Union.Hennessy looks back at a fascinating career, reflecting on his own experiences bringing to life a cast of characters from a world now largely gone.