Densely packed with detail and impeccably well-researched, the book nonetheless founders on the border between a 3 and 4 star rating because the overwhelming lists of names make large sections of it, particularly in the latter half, at times both tedious to wade through and difficult to parse. In the end, I went with 4 because I did get a lot out of reading it, but be warned ( )

Westminster; the mother of all parliaments. If only we could return to that halcyon time when our leaders were honourable men (and yes, they were all men!) then, everything would be well.

Check it out. Parliament was founded upon corruption, progressed through the mire and ended up where it now finds itself - an unrepresentative smear of the most questionable in society. Even when something good happens, the stench of accepted procedures and 'standards' draws the place back to the sewer.

Nobody could accuse Chris Bryant of being a radical and even his style of writing is light and nonjudgemental. It is hard, however, to resist quoting the line, "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Having reached the half way stage in this two part walk through the corridors of power, it is hard to think other than the whole system needs to be washed away and a fairer, more honourable one put in its place. I shall now read volume two: let's see if that causes a change of heart... ( )