The Ashdown Diaries: 1988-1997 v. 1

The trouble with these diaries--and with his reading, which, alas, suits them perfectly--is that they are trudgingly, achingly dull. The blurb describes him as "charismatic", but of that quality these cassettes give no sign. Very occasionally he produces a nice turn of phrase--as when he speaks of the Tories "murdering Caesar" in ditching Mrs T--but for the most part his account has as much colour as a police report. He may have invaded Blair's inner circle, but we get no sense of what that must have been like, no whiff of personalities. He is either hopelessly unobservant, or else too mealy-mouthed to reveal what he sees; he seems devoid of the humanity which could illuminate the more tragic figures (John Major for one) with whom he consorts. OK, he's worked like a Trojan in the Balkans; OK, he can speak Chinese; OK, he only sleeps three hours a night--but, being no Thatcher, he clearly longs for his rightful eight. No mention, by the way, of his notorious affair. Several times he speaks of going to bed "dog-tired". Perhaps he should now curl up in his basket. --Betty Tadman

A MUST READ BOOK---- 5 STARS


Interesting, But For the Wrong Reasons   December 18, 2001
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

It probably wasn't Paddy's intention that Blair, Mandelson and Cook should upstage him in his own memoirs, but that is the unfortunate end effect of these worthy, but humourless diaries.

The book falls into two distinct halves: the Westminster diaries and the Balkan diaries. While the latter are engagingly written, involving the reader by their pace and descriptive flair, the Westminster recollections are memorable only for their insights into the political skills of Tony Blair and his closest circle.

The reader gains the strong impression that Paddy is at his happiest when he is courting danger, dodging mortar fire, and interviewing villainous warlords. The Bosnian adventures are reminiscent of John Simpson's exploits in 'A Mad World, My Masters'. One senses a wistful nostalgia for the politician's SBS days.

Back on the Westminster scene, however, Paddy seems to metamorphose into a rather grumpy party leader who feels uncomfortable in his role, and who appears to dislike almost every aspect of the House of Commons, its procedures, and its inmates. It's clear that he's exhausted and frustrated, and can't wait to get out of the job.

The most striking feature of these diaries is their almost total lack of humour. Fans of Clark and Brandreth will not find much to entertain them. Also, readers who have only a passing interest in Proportional Representation may get bogged down in the interminable discourses on this subject.

The impression one is left with is that Paddy should have stayed in the Army or Diplomatic Service, in both of which he would undoubtedly have excelled. These are the diaries of an admirable and worthy man whose rather rigid and upright views made it difficult for him to fit into the uneasy compromises of modern political life.

As an insight into the mind of the embryo Prime Minister Blair, however, the diaries are quite fascinating. But somehow I don't think that was Paddy's intention.


Personal acccount of national events   February 10, 2001
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

The period of this book is an eventful and full one. We begin at the height of Thatcher's power and trace her fall. We then move on to the less combative - but just as interesting - premiership of Major. The diaries end as Tony Blair enters Downing Street and goes back on the carefully laid plans of Liberal-Labour co-ordination.

These political events are brought to life by Ashdown who was outside of the main two parties and so views events from a slightly detached position, unlike the Diaries of Alan Clark or the memoirs of cabinet ministers who were closer to these internal wranglings.

Ashdown's writing style is clear and effective. His meetings with Blair and Major give great insights into the private personalities of these prime ministers, whilst his trips to Buckingham Palace provide a balance of information and indiscretion. Journeys to Bosnia describe complicated wars with knowledge and passion.

Foreign policy, domestic policy and party politics are all explained here, and I would doubt that a more educational yet accessible and entertaining account of the period 1988-1997 and its players could be found elsewhere.


Not for Everyone   December 20, 2000
 1 out of 2 found this review helpful

So some of the other people reviewing The Ashdown Diaries thought there was too much mundanity.

These are Diaries, and in that sense are similar to Thatcher's Downing Street Years. They tell the whole story about his time as Leader of the LibDems, and not just the exciting stuff - if there was no 'average' then it would be difficult to believe.

This really is one of the best political diaries to come out, and I would say that it could easily rival Alan Clark. Fair enough, if you're after gripping page-turning storylines then you will be disappointed, but if you just want to know more about the supreme politician of our age, then BUY THIS!

EXCELLENT!