Planes, Trains and Toilet Doors: 50 Places That Changed British Politics

‘’F *** ing brilliant. I would describe it as like a bag of political nuts – moreish and fabulously salty’ JOE LYCETT A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR Planes, Trains and Toilet Doors is an entertaining and original romp through the highs and lows of British political history and the unlikely locations that have decided our national fate. Forget Westminster bust-ups and PMQs, some of the key events that have shaped modern British politics happened not in the cloisters of parliament or Downing Street’s many corridors of power, but in car parks, village halls and seaside resorts where the mundane have played host to the mighty. From Pitt the Younger’s Putney Heath duel to finding Margaret Thatcher a voice coach on a train, Harold Wilson’s ‘Scilly’ season holidays to John Major’s dental appointment clearing his path to No10 – these (and many more) are the places where chance meetings, untimely deaths and snap, sometimes daft, decisions changed the course of politics. Matt Chorley has spent almost two decades covering Westminster, interviewing prime ministers, mocking ministers and chronicling the serious, and sometimes unintentionally absurd, events which act as unlikely turning points in the direction of a nation. Illustrated by award-winning political cartoonist Morten Morland, Planes, Trains and Toilet Doors combines Matt’s insider-knowledge, smart analysis and detailed research with his background in comedy to create an hilarious history of how politics actually happens. Planes, Trains and Toilet Doors by Matt Chorley is a humorous and insightful commentary on the unexpected events and locations that have shaped Britain's political landscape. This non-fiction biography, which spans from the 21st century to the times of Pitt the Younger, is a top pick for anyone interested in the often absurd process of politics. For fans of Rory Stewart (The Places In Between), David Kynaston (A Northern Wind), Chris Bryant (Code of Conduct), Tom Holland (Athelstan), and Wes Streeting (One Boy, Two Bills and a Fry Up). HarperCollins 2023