Harold Wilson dressed in loon pants and platform shoes, A TV sound-man's shocking exposure to Anne Widdecombe's heavily underwired bra, David Cameron & Nick Clegg as the “Jedward” of politics – a con-joined entity that perhaps we might call Dick? Could any of this help us understand the unique nature of British political history? John O'Farrell, Grumpy Old Man, satirist, Spitting Image script-writer, novelist and now writer of comedy-laced history certainly thinks so.
Highlighting the British sense of humour and instinct to poke fun as key elements that have informed our history over the years, it was difficult not to agree. How, for example, could Oswald Mosley hope to make the political progress of a Hitler or Mussolini in Britain when an instinctive response to the British Union of Fascists leader's salute was to laugh at his sweaty armpits?
John O'Farrell writes history for those of you who weren't paying attention in class. Leavened by liberal doses of humour and insight, the author takes us through the major political and social events of the post-war period in his latest book “An Utterly Exasperated History of Modern Britain – or 60 Years of Making the Same Stupid Mistakes As Always”. As the title suggests, confirmed by extracts read by the author, the book presents a satirists view of our island's recent political history in an informed and intelligent way. John O'Farrell knows his history, knows his politics, and understands that precious gift the British sense of Humour.
