An urgent and timely exploration of a British political system in peril – and what we must do to save it. For centuries, British identity has been shaped by ideas of exceptionalism, grandeur and competence. Yet British democracy is failing. Governments supported by a minority of voters are elected with enormous majorities under a deeply unrepresentative first-past-the-post system. The result has been failed leaders delivering wounding blows to the country's economy, prosperity and international image. Britain Is Better Than This explores what lies beneath this sense of malaise, revealing the structural and constitutional failures at the heart of a sclerotic political system. It sheds light on a culture of lies, distrust and corruption. It reveals fundamental flaws in core institutions, including the media, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It draws on events such as the MP expenses scandal, Brexit, 'Partygate' and the farcical premiership of Liz Truss, as symptoms of a great nation at a turning point yet unsure of which way to turn. And it looks ahead, offering practical solutions to answer the key question of our time: What do we need to do to build a better future? 'The most compelling, lacerating description of the Muppet Show that is British public life I have yet read.' Will Hutton 'There can be no book more urgently needed than this one.' Steve Richards

'An eloquent, forensic examination of resurgent English nationalism as the force that has driven Brexit and may now break up the United Kingdom' Jonathan Coe 'A fascinating book that draws on poetry, literature and on-the-ground reporting' The Times 'A wonderful book which will be quoted in years to come' New European In the past, it was possible to live with delightful confusion: one could be English or British, Scottish or Irish, and a citizen/subject of the United Kingdom (or Great Britain). Now this archaic state is coming under terrible strain. The English revolt against Europe is also a revolt against the Scottish and Irish, and the pressures to declare Scottish independence and to push for a border poll that would unite Ireland may become irresistible. Can England and Wales find a way of dealing with the state's new place in the world? What constitutional, federal arrangements might prevent the disintegration of the British state? How Britain Ends is a book about history, but also about the strange, complicated identity of Britishness.

'Punchy, pithy and short.' - POLLY TOYNBEE, GUARDIAN COLUMNIST 'In an ideal world every citizen would read this essential book, and think hard.' - PROFESSOR AC GRAYLING, ACADEMIC The broadcaster and journalist Gavin Esler reveals the long-lasting impact of the most momentous change in Britain for decades. In seven succinct chapters, he charts the profound changes brought about by leaving the European Union on key areas of life in the United Kingdom: Food and diet Health and the NHS Jobs and industry Education Travel to Europe From the food markets of Kent to NHS operating theatres to the boardrooms of big employers, Brexit is packed with surprises. And Brexit Without the Bullshit is not about the Brexit you were told you were getting: it's about the one we're actually getting. From the author of How Britain Ends: English Nationalism and the Rebirth of Four Nations and Lessons From The Top, this is the ideal accompaniment to books on Brexit such as the Fintan O'Toole's Brexit Chronicles and Michel Barner's Secret Brexit Diaries. Instead of concentrating on the Brexit referendum campaign, it uncovers the fundamental changes caused by Brexit - and what they mean for ordinary life. REVIEWS 'If you want a pithy, sober, clear-headed summary of what Brexit is actually likely to look like, @gavinesler's new book is spot on. Such a welcome antidote to all the whipped up sentiment - calm, factual, rigorous.' - DR RACHEL CLARKE, NHS DOCTOR AND CAMPAIGNER 'Esler provides the evidence of what Brexit has already done to Britain and the harm that it s causing and will cause, in particular to the poorest in our society. A guide for all who want to understand what Brexit really means.' - JESSICA SIMOR QC 'A brilliant demolition of the lies and liars that created the Brexit mess. Should be required reading at his old stamping ground, the BBC.' - ALASTAIR CAMPBELL, WRITER AND BROADCASTER WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK - BY GAVIN ESLER In 2016 I did something I had never done before. I voted in the Brexit referendum without knowing what I was voting for or against. No one explained to me - or you - what Brexit would mean for our lives. Whether you voted Leave or Remain, we did not know the facts about Brexit, how it would affect our jobs, food, schools, universities, the NHS, our families, pets, travel arrangements, and even the supposed unity of the United Kingdom. In the years since the Brexit vote, the British government has continued to fail to explain the facts about Brexit, and so I decided to find out for myself. The result is my latest book, "Brexit Without The Bullshit." At first I thought that if Brexit were stripped of the bullshit - lies and deceit, scare stories and fantasies - there would be nothing left. But the facts about Brexit are so stark, there's plenty to discuss and think about. The key fact is this: Brexit is not an event. It is a process. Whether it happens or not, whatever version of leaving the EU we end up with, we will be forced to discuss Brexit for years to come. If we are to survive and perhaps thrive, we need to start with the facts. Gavin Esler CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1. Brexit & Our Food Chapter 2. Brexit, Our Health & the NHS Chapter 3. Brexit, Our Money & Our Jobs Chapter 4. Brexit & Our Children's Education Chapter 5. Brexit & Travel Chapter 6. Brexit & Our Country Chapter 7. A No Deal Brexit The Boring Bits: Glossary and Endnotes

There are no real enemies, no real fear - only those of our own creation. Another brilliant and thrilling adventure from the co-host of BBC's Newsnight. The Anglo-American 'Special Relationship' is in deep trouble. The ambitious vice-president, Bobby Black, who wields greater influence over foreign affairs than his titular boss, has fallen out with the British PM. The young British Ambassador to Washington knows he must step in. He is in a delicate position however-with the expectations of the British Government on him,as well as those of his father-in-law, the PM. In a bid to orchastrate some good PR, Black is invited to England, accompanied by a plane load of assistants and CIA security. Guided by his aristocratic host, he goes out to the moors - and disappears. He is not seen again until humiliating photographs begin to appear, and then again, silence. The Americans are outraged that their VP has gone missing on British soil and the relationship between the two countries seem irrevocably damaged. But what can be done? Missing but not confirmed dead is a constitutional grey area, and should Black reappear, can he ever be trusted again?

An absorbing novel of power, politics, terror and lies from the co-host of Newsnight Robin Burnett has spent years at the heart of power, pulling the strings. With friends in Downing Street, the White House and the CIA he is known as the brightest politician of his generation, tipped to go all the way to the top. But when the media discover that Robin is at the heart of a shocking sex scandal, his glittering career comes to an abrupt end. Robin and those close to him will pay the price of corruption, lies and ruthless ambition, and learn that with a twenty-four hour hungry media, scandal can be hard to avoid. Gavin Esler's novel gives a real sense of the adrenalin of power when you feel the top job is within your grasp. A Scandalous Man presents fascinating, wholly credible scenarios on relationships and secret arrangements with the United States and the Middle East.

A thoughtful, articulate and important book about the rise of English nationalism and the impending breakup of the United Kingdom from one of the finest BBC journalists of the last twenty years. How Britain Ends is a book about history, but also about the strange, complicated identity of Britishness. In the past, it was possible to live with delightful confusion: one could be English, or British, Scottish or Irish and a citizen/subject of the United Kingdom (or Great Britain). For years that state has been what Gavin Esler calls a 'secret federation', but without the explicit federal arrangements that allow Germany or the USA to survive. Now the archaic state, which doesn't have a written constitution, is coming under terrible strain. The English revolt against Europe is also a revolt against the awkward squads of the Scottish and Irish, and most English conservatives would be happy to get rid of Northern Ireland and Scotland as the price of getting Brexit done. If no productive trade deal with the EU can be agreed, the pressures to declare Scottish independence and to push for a border poll that would unite Ireland will be irresistible. Can England and Wales find a way of dealing with the state's new place in the world? What constitutional, federal arrangements might prevent the disintegration of the British state, which has survived in its present form for 400 years?

Great leaders have always understood the power of stories. Through the stories they tell, the most successful leaders educate, persuade and bring about change, but we rarely have the background knowledge to explore how they do so. In this hugely insightful guide to getting to the top, leading journalist Gavin Esler presents first-hand knowledge of the secrets of those who achieve power based on over thirty years' experience interviewing world famous figures from Bill Clinton to Angelina Jolie. Introducing the questions every leader must answer - and the elements that the best stories must contain - Esler explains how creating a leadership story can promote success at all levels, whether running for the United States presidency or applying for a place at university. Spanning fields from business and culture to the military and even taking in lessons from terrorism, Lessons from the Top offers a fascinating portrait of leadership in the modern world - and shows how the methods of the most powerful leaders could work for you.

'Punchy, pithy and short.' - POLLY TOYNBEE, GUARDIAN COLUMNIST 'In an ideal world every citizen would read this essential book, and think hard.' - PROFESSOR AC GRAYLING, ACADEMIC The broadcaster and journalist Gavin Esler reveals the long-lasting impact of the most momentous change in Britain for decades. In seven succinct chapters, he charts the profound changes brought about by leaving the European Union on key areas of life in the United Kingdom: Food and diet Health and the NHS Jobs and industry Education Travel to Europe From the food markets of Kent to NHS operating theatres to the boardrooms of big employers, Brexit is packed with surprises. And Brexit Without the Bullshit is not about the Brexit you were told you were getting: it's about the one we're actually getting. From the author of How Britain Ends: English Nationalism and the Rebirth of Four Nations and Lessons From The Top, this is the ideal accompaniment to books on Brexit such as the Fintan O'Toole's Brexit Chronicles and Michel Barner's Secret Brexit Diaries. Instead of concentrating on the Brexit referendum campaign, it uncovers the fundamental changes caused by Brexit - and what they mean for ordinary life. REVIEWS 'If you want a pithy, sober, clear-headed summary of what Brexit is actually likely to look like, @gavinesler's new book is spot on. Such a welcome antidote to all the whipped up sentiment - calm, factual, rigorous.' - DR RACHEL CLARKE, NHS DOCTOR AND CAMPAIGNER 'Esler provides the evidence of what Brexit has already done to Britain and the harm that it s causing and will cause, in particular to the poorest in our society. A guide for all who want to understand what Brexit really means.' - JESSICA SIMOR QC 'A brilliant demolition of the lies and liars that created the Brexit mess. Should be required reading at his old stamping ground, the BBC.' - ALASTAIR CAMPBELL, WRITER AND BROADCASTER WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK - BY GAVIN ESLER In 2016 I did something I had never done before. I voted in the Brexit referendum without knowing what I was voting for or against. No one explained to me - or you - what Brexit would mean for our lives. Whether you voted Leave or Remain, we did not know the facts about Brexit, how it would affect our jobs, food, schools, universities, the NHS, our families, pets, travel arrangements, and even the supposed unity of the United Kingdom. In the years since the Brexit vote, the British government has continued to fail to explain the facts about Brexit, and so I decided to find out for myself. The result is my latest book, "Brexit Without The Bullshit." At first I thought that if Brexit were stripped of the bullshit - lies and deceit, scare stories and fantasies - there would be nothing left. But the facts about Brexit are so stark, there's plenty to discuss and think about. The key fact is this: Brexit is not an event. It is a process. Whether it happens or not, whatever version of leaving the EU we end up with, we will be forced to discuss Brexit for years to come. If we are to survive and perhaps thrive, we need to start with the facts. Gavin Esler CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1. Brexit & Our Food Chapter 2. Brexit, Our Health & the NHS Chapter 3. Brexit, Our Money & Our Jobs Chapter 4. Brexit & Our Children's Education Chapter 5. Brexit & Travel Chapter 6. Brexit & Our Country Chapter 7. A No Deal Brexit The Boring Bits: Glossary and Endnotes