Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip
Simon Hart, Macmillan, £10.99

FOR anyone expecting a profound insight into the principal worldwide crisis of the century, or a comprehensive analysis of a period of debilitating instability for the British state and its institutions, former chief whip Simon Hart’s diaries of 2019-24 will be something of a disappointment.

Omission can be the most telling of a book’s elements. If someone reads this in the future without first-hand knowledge of the level of crisis in 2020-21, they’ll get a picture of a difficult period, certainly, but not one in which social norms were suspended, and the population was treated to daily death tolls from the prime minister and chief scientists on television.

One of the reasons for this is Hart’s personality and worldview. He is something of a traditional Conservative: unideological; even-handed; antagonistic to what he sees as political extremism, both left and right. He clearly dislikes the party’s right, as exemplified during this period by the European Research Group, while being perplexed by Labour under Corbyn. Drawing his ire in particular is Suella Braverman, who comes across as a loose cannon, out for her own advancement above all other considerations.

Readers may well enjoy the many negative comments about Sir Keir Starmer in opposition, who is regularly critiqued for his inability to lay a glove on what were three struggling governments on the bounce. Here’s an indicative entry, from October 12 2023, during Liz Truss’s brief tenure in 10 Downing Street:

“PMQs is dull, the main observation being Starmer still can’t land a painful blow despite the PM already being covered in bruises from her self-inflicted injuries.”

This, of course, is three years into that parliament, and follows on from Truss tanking the markets. There are many such entries.

But the pleasure of this book comes from the insight it gives into the Tory Party and the workings of government. It’s no surprise to find out that Hart is friends with Michael Dobbs, creator of House of Cards, and realpolitik chronicler extraordinaire. The title is actually a bit of a misnomer, as he was only chief whip for Sunak’s period in number 10. In the Johnson period he was secretary of state for Wales.

Boris Johnson comes across exactly as expected: reckless; vain; unprincipled; though charming and likeable. Hart has much sympathy for him and clearly values loyalty, as shown by how late he was in writing to the 1922 Committee when Johnson was sunk.

The portrayal of Rishi Sunak is of particular interest. Hart paints him as an honourable man in an impossible position and it’s certainly the case that, whatever a reader’s politics, it’s hard not to be impressed with his personal qualities: for example, there is a very touching account of the time (off camera and unreported) given by him to a couple and their critically ill child.

Regarding what the government of which Hart formed part is attempting to enact, we see the battles over Brexit legislation, the Rwanda Bill, the National Security and Investment Act, among others.

Political nerds will enjoy the insider stuff: the reshuffles; the endless calls for honours from people who appear to see them as their right; the various scandals, averted or not. This is his entry for October 31 2023:

“Amongst today’s HR joys is the report from Emma that a departmental SpAd went to an orgy over the weekend and ended up taking a crap on another person’s head. To make matters worse, in a separate incident a House employee went to a party dressed as Jimmy Savile and ended up having sex with a blow-up doll, for which he has subsequently been dismissed. Just another day at the office, I guess.”

Not everyone will find such entries amusing, but for readers who are approaching this as an account of the actual workings of government, as opposed to wishing to (understandably) coruscate a party coming to the end of 14 years of disastrous rule, there’s much to be said for Hart’s sanguinity. He comes across as a decent man, albeit one with limited insight into the myriad lives of people less fortunate than himself.

This book isn’t likely to join the canon of great political diaries, but it does illuminate the period, and it’s a pleasant enough way to spend some time.