Description

A magisterial and profoundly perceptive survey of Britain’s post-war role on the global stage, from Suez to Brexit.

‘The fullest long-run political and diplomatic narrative yet of Britain’s fateful, tragi-comic road to Brexit.’
DAVID KYNASTON

‘An instant classic . . . Stephens is a master of historical codebreaking.’
PETER HENNESSEY

Award-winning Financial Times journalist Philip Stephens paints a fascinating portrait of sixty years – from Suez to Brexit – as Britain struggles to reconcile its waning power with its past glory. Drawing on decades of personal contact and interviews with senior politicians and diplomats in Britain, the United States and across the capitals of Europe, Britain Alone is a magisterial and deeply perceptive history of our nation and how we arrived at the state we are in.

‘Commanding . . . Rarely if ever, in the history of the British state since 1707, has one half of Britain’s ruling elite committed an act of policy viewed with such absolute contempt by the other half; and rarely has that contempt been expressed with such elegance, such fluency, and such a devastating wealth of supporting detail, as in this mighty survey.’ SCOTSMAN

‘Profoundly knowledgeable.’ CHRIS PATTEN
‘Compelling.’ LAWRENCE FREEDMAN
‘A fascinating history.’ IRISH TIMES
‘A magnificent, exhilarating book’ PROSPECT