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  • All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain's Political Class

  • By: Tim Shipman
  • Narrated by: Rupert Farley
  • Length: 32 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (610 ratings)

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All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain's Political Class

By: Tim Shipman
Narrated by: Rupert Farley
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Summary

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2017

#1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

‘The best political book of the year’ Andrew Marr

‘A superb work of storytelling and reporting. Sets new benchmark for the writing of contemporary political history’ Guardian

The only book to tell the full story of how and why Britain voted to leave the EU.

This is the acclaimed inside story of the EU referendum in 2016 that takes you behind the scenes of the most extraordinary episode in British politics since the Second World War.

With unparalleled access to all key players, this is a story of calculation, attempted coups and people torn between principles and loyalty. It is a book about our leaders and their closest aides, the decisions they make, how and why they make them and how they feel when they turn out to be so wrong.

In All Out War, Tim Shipman has written a political history that reads like a thriller, exploring how and why David Cameron chose to take the biggest political gamble of his life, and why he lost.

©2016 Tim Shipman (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
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Critic reviews

‘I can't imagine a more even-handed or better sourced, all points-of-view account of the biggest story in British politics since WWII … A fine book’ ANDREW MARR, Sunday Times

'Shipman's dispatches are a must read if you want to understand what happened beneath the smog and beyond the noise of the conflict’ NICK ROBINSON

‘Shipman is brilliantly qualified to write the inside story of the referendum, with his unrivalled access to all the players’ JOHN RENTOUL

‘One of the best political journalists of his era … It’s impossible to fully comprehend what happened on June 23 and the ensuing two weeks without reading this book … Brilliant’ – IAIN DALE, LBC

‘Shipman’s book is by far the best. It is a detailed, often pitch-perfect account that delivers the tale with an infectious sense of human drama – no mean feat, given the task of completing the whole thing so quickly’ JOHN HARRIS, New Statesman

‘The essential account … Shipman has spoken to every key individual to produce the definitive first draft of history, a comprehensive yet impartial study of how Brexit won’ Financial Times

‘Excellent … Shipman convincingly marshals fresh evidence to prove what we already half-knew’ WILL HUTTON, Observer

‘The best political book of the year was undoubtedly Tim Shipman’s masterly ‘All Out War’’ New Statesman

‘Stonkingly good: if you’re vaguely interested in politics buy it. It won’t be bettered’ FRASER NELSON

‘Thorough, comprehensive and utterly gripping. It is hard to imagine a better first draft of history’ – Economist

‘Undoubtedly the British political book of the year’ ALEX MASSIE

‘Shipman, one of the most brilliant, best informed and well-connected journalists in Westminster, has written a superlative book which does full justice to a momentous time’ PETER OBORNE

‘Don’t think any of the quotes do justice to quite how good it is. A superb work of reporting and storytelling, and sets new benchmark for the writing of contemporary political history’ ANDREW SPARROW

What listeners say about All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain's Political Class

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I lived through all this.

A cracking read if you want to know how all sides were working. It was a tough decision for me and i liked the honesty of the Tim Shipman diagnoses and it would be interesting to know how he thinks his conclusions (such as they were) hold up after 6 months.

the naration was good, i get a sense he was amusing himself as much as anything with the attempts at accents and voices and in my view it was better for all that. I really enjoyed this book and if you read anything on Brexit, start here.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating

The story is well told and very detailed. Despite the in depth nature of the telling and the length the book never allows your interest to dwindle. One small issue was with the reading. For the vast majority of time the narration was excellent, I did find the attempted accents and impersonations a little distracting. They were neither consistent nor needed.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Detailed, well written, amusing.

This book, written in such a short space of time, is impeccable. It includes accounts from behind the scenes that reveal why decisions were made by the campaign teams and ultimately led to Britain deciding to leave the European Union. Tim Shipman should be proud of a book written within weeks of the seismic events.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An excellent insight into UK power play politics!

Entertaining and addictive book!
Highly recommended as it gets into the nitty gritty of UK modern day politics!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Engaging with some short comings

If the topic interests you, I recommend this book, even if I’m not sure it hit me with any great revelations.

Probably the biggest shortcoming in my view is the absence of any discussion of the actions of the EU or European leaders, especially concerning the limited deal they offered Cameron. Whilst I can appreciate that the author consciously wanted to focus on the British angle, a chapter or two would have been of significant interest in contextualising events.

That aside, an engaging yarn, well told, without obvious, aggravating bias.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping, very well researched and brilliantly wri

Would you listen to All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain's Political Class again? Why?

Most definitely, I found it to be a riveting insight into the complexities of a national campaign

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dominic Cummings, he has the Bull Dog intensity for the fight and the never say never attitude that probably tipped the balance, I just wish he was on the other side

Which character – as performed by Rupert Farley – was your favourite?

To be honest, I actually found the whole thing of trying to be a character and attempting accents and impressions to be quite annoying and unnecessary and the main reason I decided to write this review

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I effectively did, apart from 8 hours sleep half way through, I listened to it in one sitting, even taking it to the kitchen, toilet and pub with me

Any additional comments?

For anyone interested in UK National politics, this book is an essential listen/read and I am looking forward to starting the next book, Fall Out, as soon as possible

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Through the Tory Looking Glass

An entertaining and informative insight into how the British political establishment sees itself - as the rightful owner and keeper of who gets to decide what it means to be British. More of an extended gossip column than an historical analysis it should, nevertheless, be taken seriously as a lesson in how a tiny number of people in positions of power can cause so much chaos and not take any responsibility beyond "I love my country and I did what I thought was right". As one of the 500,000 'insane' who voted for Jeremy Corbyn to be leader of the Labour Party (twice) - and a remainer - I wasn't expecting any reinforcement of my political views from this author but the extent of the vitriol directed at Corbyn and anyone left of Alan Johnson was surprising. Understandaby the choice of quotes and sources was probably limited to unsympathetic voices but, unlike with every other character, there was virtually no attempt at mitigation of the vicious attacks. Even Tony Blair, no favourite of mine - of course - gets blamed for seeding Brexit in changing the British political landscape and paving the way for David Cameron to become Tory leader. Shipman's story ends when Teresa May takes over - so Johnson's promise of cake and eat it (and many other sunlit uplands depicted in his appendixed letter) are not exposed for the fantasies, if not lies, that they are proving to be. The narration makes easy listening and is fun but, like the rest of the book, should be treated as a political cartoon caricature - Gove and Mandelson delightfully understated but Labour MPs and any contributor north of Watford verge on the patronising.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent, in-depth and detailed

If you're interested in the political aspects behind BREXIT, especially what happened behind closed doors then this book is for you.

It's fantastically detailed with countless first hand experienced of what turned the wheels behind the various campaigns.

The amount of backstabbing is phenomenal and the linkage of other non related issues quite eye opening. (the tampon tax being used as a pressure tool and Osborne for instance).

Overall I enjoyed every single minute of it and would highly recommend it to anyone.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

excellent.

perfect outline of the Brexit debacle, concise, detailed and informative. an excellent piece of work

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Should be compulsory for all school children.

Amazing depth of information, beautifully segmented both by subject and timeline. An unbiased account that will enrage remoaners and delighted Brexiteers in equal measure. Perhaps in the ratio 52:48

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6 people found this helpful