Churchill: The Scottish Years

A Scotsman Book of the Year

Andrew Liddle

• Publisher: Birlinn
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN:
  9781780277899
• eBook ISBN:
  9781788855358
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Political Biographies
• Index: Politics & International Relations

This is the true story of Winston Churchill and Scotland.

In the popular imagination, Winston Churchill is the bulldog of 1940 – uncompromising and Conservative. But in 1922 he was the reforming, progressive Liberal MP for Dundee who, after five successive election wins and a majority of 15,000, could confidently claim to have a seat for life.

But one man had other ideas. This is the story of how god-fearing teetotaller Edwin Scrymgeour fought and won an election against Britain's most famous politician. Andrew Liddle vividly brings to life an extraordinary rivalry as it unfolded over fifteen years, and also explores for the first time Churchill's controversial Scottish legacy, including his attitude to devolution.

'Rich and well-written . . . a vital insight' – The Scotsman

'A fascinating story' – Times Radio

'A brilliant book' – Andrew Adonis

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Author’s Note
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• 1 ‘What’s the Use of a W.C. without a Seat?’
• 2 The Road to Scotland
• 3 ‘I Chose Dundee’
• 4 A Seat for Life?
• 5 Vote as You Pray
• 6 Enter, Clementine
• 7 ‘Not at Home’
• 8 Our Man in Dundee
• 9 The Peers versus the People
• 10 The Strike before Christmas
• 11 Home Rule
• 12 An Activist Victorious
• 13 The Policeman, the Pilot and the Prohibitionist
• 14 War
• 15 On the Front Line
• 16 The Home Front
• 17 ‘Shells versus Booze’
• 18 Winning the Peace
• 19 Revolution
• 20 Resolution
• 21 Clementine’s Campaign
• 22 The Final Round
• 23 Last Orders
• 24 Closing Time
• 25 Hangover
• Afterword
• Notes
• Select Bibliography
• Index
• Picture Section