'The politics book to be seen with in these febrile times' - The i Newspaper
'How facts, rumour and mischief-making become the news we all obsess over' - Tim Shipman
'A cracking read! Treat yourself...' - John Crace

Ever wondered why the indiscretions of some MPs make the front page while others don't? How close journalists really are to politicians? Or how on earth the country is run when the British political system is in such a mess?

In Haven't You Heard?, Marie Le Conte looks at the role gossip, whispers and tittle-tattle play in all areas of politics - for the MPs and their advisers, the press who cover them and the civil servants in the middle of it all. From policy rows which aren't about policy at all and boozy nights with dramatic consequences, to people spinning their way to the top and dark secrets never seeing the light of day, Marie explores in great and entertaining detail the human side of the people running the country against a backdrop of political mayhem.

Mischief, gossip and hearsay - how British politics really works in the 21st Century...

About the Author

Marie Le Conte is a French-Moroccan journalist living in London. She previously was the Evening Standard's political diarist, BuzzFeed News' media and politics correspondent and went freelance in June 2017.

Since then, she has written for the Sunday Times, Guardian, New Statesman, Prospect Magazine, Stylist and many more. She has also appeared on, among others, the Today programme, Newsnight, Victoria Derbyshire and Any Questions?, as well as speaking at Chatham House, Sciences Po Paris, the House of Commons, and the Foreign Policy Centre.

She was named one of MHP's 30 To Watch, Portland's Rising Stars in 2016 and Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2018.

Reviews
'A romp through Westminster chit chat and how facts, rumour and mischief-making become the news we all obsess over' * Tim Shipman *
'Not just eye-opening but eye-popping, and frequently laugh-out-loud funny. An essential read for anyone considering a career in politics and rollicking good fun for those of us already here.' * Emily Thornberry *
'The personal truly is political in politics. Amazingly, Westminster pub gossip really can become public policy. Marie wittily pulls back the curtain on this odd, disproportionately powerful postcode and invites you in with a fag and a pint. You're going to need it.' * Emma Barnett, BBC Newsnight *
'Marie Le Conte has so entertainingly and charmingly got inside the Westminster bubble and its workings that they haven't even noticed her doing it. When they read it, they'll laugh - and then (at least some of them) will cry.' * James Ball, author of Post-Truth: How Bullshit Conquered the World *
'Salacious, shocking, and hilarious in equal measure, Marie Le Conte delivers the juiciest gossip with driest wit. Read it!' * Ralf Little *
Le Conte has produced a vivid romp through the noisy landscape and a study of why the incessant chatter that fills its tearooms and corridors matters... [She] delves beyond the obvious groups of showboating politicians and self-important journalists to reveal the quiet power of Parliament's clerks, doorkeepers, librarians, the people who have seen and heard it all, observing generation after generation. By exposing the multi-layered madness, she provides a genuine public service in giving a coherent explanation of Westminster's incoherent structures. * Laura Kuenssberg, British Journalism Review *
A witty demystification of the workings of the Westminster village -- Viv Groskop, author of How to Own the Room
The funniest political book of the year * i Newspaper *



Book Information
ISBN 9781788701778
Author Marie Le Conte
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint BLINK Publishing
Publisher Bonnier Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 400g
Dimensions(mm) 222mm * 144mm * 29mm