Politics on the Edge

A Memoir from Within

By: Rory Stewart

Narrated by: Rory Stewart

Length: 16 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

From the former Conservative Cabinet minister and co-presenter of 2022's breakout hit podcast The Rest is Politics, a searing insider's account of ten extraordinary years in Parliament

Over the course of a decade from 2010, Rory Stewart went from being a political outsider to standing for prime minister - before being sacked from a Conservative Party that he had come to barely recognise.

Tackling ministerial briefs on flood response and prison violence, engaging with conflict and poverty abroad as a foreign minister, and Brexit as a Cabinet minister, Stewart learned first-hand how profoundly hollow and inadequate our democracy and government had become. Cronyism, ignorance and sheer incompetence ran rampant. Around him, individual politicians laid the foundations for the political and economic chaos of today.

Stewart emerged battered but with a profound affection for his constituency of Penrith and the Border, and a deep direct insight into the era of populism and global conflict.

Politics On the Edge invites us into the mind of one of the most interesting actors on the British political stage. Uncompromising, candid and darkly humorous, this is his story of the challenges, absurdities and realities of political life; a new classic of political memoir and a remarkable portrait of our age.

©2023 Rory Stewart (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Brilliantly written, completely gripping, and darkly funny - this is one of the most devastating insider accounts of Westminster I have ever read. An instant classic of political memoir. I have to warn you that this book contains mind-boggling scenes featuring some of the leading politicians we've been cursed with over the past few years, several of which were so excruciating I had to read them through my fingers. (Marina Hyde)

At last a politician who can write. In a decade at Westminster, Rory Stewart worked alongside - indeed for - most of the con-artists and dimwits of recent governments. The problem is not just one of personal calibre, however. The book suggests it is the party political system itself that tends to stifle innovation and practical change. Opinionated, lucid and thought-provoking. (Sebastian Faulks)

An illuminating and excoriating insight into politics and power. Candid, angry, funny, and self-revelatory (Jonathan Dimbleby)

An enlightened reflection on the last 15 years of The UK’s withering parliament..

Reading this fine tale I can only end up wishing for what might have been… After the woof woof wa wa that was the buffoon Johnson’s premiership and the others that followed I wish the author had succeeded in becoming PM… excellent read if not a tad depressing at the last hurdle.

Politics, behind the scenes

It was great to hear in detail about the world of being a politician. It was well written and it was the addition of small details that made it all the more memorable and interesting. I particularly liked the section about him being minister for prisons, it was informative and thought provoking.

Engaging and depressing

I'm almost aghast that I actually picked up a book by a Tory type. But Stewart is one of the few, perhaps the only one, that I could bare to listen to. I'm left with a profound grief that he never became PM and a perspective that the country has since been trashed by all successive Tory leaders. The book describes his efforts to bring sense to the British political scene yet alas concludes that he utterly failed. Or rather, the Tory Party failed him.

God help the UK.

Great book even if youre not that interested in politics

Its hard not to respect and like Rory after listening to what hes been through. Great story even if youre not into politics. Some very good lessons on management and dealing with big issues.

The narrator.

Thoroughly enjoy Rory’s performance, really got a sense of his enjoyment and his frustrations throughout. Aspect I think might not come through if another had read it.

Strikingly metaphorical cover

Just brilliant from a brilliant engaging man. Confirmed all my worst suspicions on politics and politicians . Tragic really tragic that the good seem to have no place !

An important read for the times

Engaging, entertaining, thoughtful, and prescient. An eye opener for those of us not involved in politics and an urgent warning of the systemic dysfunctions at the heart of British politics. Well narrated by the author, whose account at times veers towards unnecessary self justification, but who overall comes across as a likable and credible witness.

A great insight into English politics

...which confirms the sad, trivial truth: successful politicians are unscrupulous liars, and the system of professionalized politics actively resists any honest outsiders. Nothing new under the sun.

Interesting and well written

I listen rest is politics podcast every week and this book gives interesting insight to Rory’s political life.
Highly recomended!

Very Good

It really does you no favours being honest and not crawling into the gutter. He would have been a great PM for the country if there had been a party to lead, sadly populism won out.

This book while clearly making (huge) efforts to be as kind as possible was a scathing indictment of the Conservative Party and British politics in general. Rory lifted the curtain in a very honest and reflective way. I would like to have heard more about his personal life and if this book hadn’t been autobiographical we would have heard more of his achievements.
Nicely narrated by the author but if you want voices or impersonations it’s the other Rory you want.
Somehow he got through the entire book without calling Boris Johnson a €ũnT, impressive!

Keir Starmer