
The Bonfire of the Decencies
Repairing and Restoring the British Constitution
Peter Hennessy(Author)
Haus Publishing
Published on 27. October 2022
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-1-913368-71-5 (ISBN)
Description
The British constitution matters. Its observance is crucial to the well-being of all our people, to every state activity and deployment of government power. It is crucial to the face our society presents to itself as well as to those who observe us from overseas. For all its importance, however, the British constitution is a thing of considerable mystery and elusiveness. It does not reside inside any set of hard covers. But the decency of government and the constitution from which they draw (or should draw) their sap and vitality, find themselves at a low ebb in the wake of the Boris Johnson premiership. There has been a serious seepage of trust, which has generated a pessimism of the spirit. The Bonfire of the Decencies offers a range of suggestions about what might be done to repair and restore the British constitution. Time is pressing for what needs to be a shared national endeavour; a story of restoration, revival, and creative purpose. Andrew Blick and Peter Hennessy compel us to look anew at our constitutional procedures. The last three years have shown us we cannot keep muddling through. Only by repairing and restoring our constitution can we keep the United Kingdom safely in the highest ranks of the rule-of-law nations - a gift we assumed was so securely banked that, until recently, we did not have to worry about it.
Reviews / Votes
'... if you are interested in the codes and rules that constitute the ethical plumbing of the constitution, and how they were trashed by Johnson, then this is the book for you.' -- The Guardian '[A] useful reminder of what has gone wrong and what issues need to be addressed.' -- Literary Review 'Andrew Blick and Peter Hennessy unflinchingly tell it like it is.' -- The House MagazineMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Illustrations
1 black and white illustration
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 135 mm
Weight
262 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-913368-71-5 (9781913368715)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Hennessy Peter Hennessy | Blick Andrew Blick
Bonfire of The Decencies
Repairing and Restoring the British Constitution
E-Book
07/2023
Haus Publishing
€27.99
Available for download
Person
Peter Hennessy is one of UK's leading contemporary historians and is the author of definitive books on the UK's prime ministers, constitution, civil service, and intelligence agencies. His recent works include Winds of Change: Britain in the Early Sixties and A Duty of Care: Britain Before and After Covid. Andrew Blick is Professor of Politics and Contemporary History, and Head of Department of Political Economy. He is the editor of The Constitution in Review, a six-monthly analysis of developments in the UK constitution produced by the United Kingdom Constitution Monitoring Group.
Content
Introduction // 1
Part One: The Nature of the Problem // 5
Part Two: The Problem in Detail // 83
Part Three: Recommendations and Conclusion // 119
Appendices // 147
Notes // 173
Part One: The Nature of the Problem // 5
Part Two: The Problem in Detail // 83
Part Three: Recommendations and Conclusion // 119
Appendices // 147
Notes // 173