
- 352 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Over a decade before Margaret Thatcher swept to power, another woman was running Britain from 10 Downing Street: Marcia Williams was the first ever female political adviser to a Prime Minister and was said to have a powerful grip on her boss.
A brilliant tactician, Marcia masterminded Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson's multiple election victories. But misogyny, jealousy, a shocking private life and accusations of money-grubbing and bribery all contributed to her reputation as a public nuisance.
There is no doubt Marcia was outspoken, forthright and, by contemporary standards, deeply unconventional. But her critics failed to understand her unbreakable partnership with Wilson – they were politically wedded to each other and equal contributors to his success.
In this fascinating biography, updated with new insight regarding Wilson's Downing Street affair with Janet Hewlett-Davies, Linda McDougall seeks to rescue Marcia from previously dismissive verdicts, suggesting a more nuanced perspective and restoring this trailblazing pioneer to her rightful place in British political history.
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Information
Table of contents
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Introduction: An Influential and Divisive Figure
- 1: Who Was Marcia?
- 2: When Harold Met Marcia
- 3: Marcia: The Beginnings
- 4: Harold: The Beginnings
- 5: Marcia at Queen Mary
- 6: The Post-War Labour Party
- 7: Marcia and Harold: A Growing Partnership
- 8: Marcia and Harold in Downing Street
- 9: The Move
- 10: Constructing a Reputation
- 11: Sex in No. 10
- 12: The Case of Michael Halls
- 13: Weddings and Disappearing Passports
- 14: Purple Hearts and Valium
- 15: Fields of Slag and Gold
- 16: Marcia and Harold Back in Power
- 17: Harold Wilson’s Resignation
- 18: The Lavender List
- 19: The After Party
- 20: Carrying-On in the Twenty-First Century
- Conclusion: The Importance of Marcia
- Bibliography
- Acknowledgements
- Index
- Plates
- Copyright