Alice in Westminster

`Alice Bacon was a remarkable political pioneer who, in her own words did "everything that a male MP does. And a little bit more". In doing so, she blazed a trail for every single one of Labour's current 99 female MPs - including her biographer, Rachel Reeves herself.’ – Cathy Newman, `An inspiring and compelling account of one of the unsung heroines of post-war, Labour Britain. With admiration, political insight and historical honesty, Reeves recounts the gritty, determined, and highly principled life of her predecessor Alice Bacon as a female, Leeds Labour MP. A truly rewarding read for historians, Labour Party supporters, and Yorkshire patriots.’ – Tristram Hunt MP, `Rachel Reeves’ biography of Leeds Labour MP Alice Bacon, one of Labour's women pioneers in the House of Commons, combines immaculate scholarship with endearing humanity. The story of the early women MPs is at last being told. Rachel has added enormously to our knowledge and understanding.’ - Mary Honeyball MEP, author of Parliamentary Pioneers: Labour Women MPs 1918 – 1945, `This book is both a good read and a long overdue recognition of one of the stalwarts of the Labour Party. The contribution made by Alice Bacon to the Party and Country was significant in so many ways we are only now recognising.’ – Bernard Atha CBE, `This book is a great, and timely, read. At a time when all ability schooling is under threat as never before, we need to salute formidable women like Alice Bacon, who helped to usher in the comprehensive revolution - still the most important, progressive education reform of the last century.’ – Fiona Millar, `Alice was a true party stalwart, devoting her weekends to party meetings and functions across the country, defending the historic and best interests of the party on the NEC, and encouraging young activists like myself who were weened in the women's section of the party and then the League of Youth to devote ourselves to politics too. Rachel Reeves, who has also committed herself to the cause of Labour, has shown foresight in writing this book and brought to life this fascinating, at times divided, but most of all transformative period of Labour history.’ – Baroness (Betty) Boothroyd, `Rachel Reeves has offered a fascinating insight into the political life of Leeds' first female MP. This thought-provoking story about Alice Bacon's remarkable career has many echoes of the tensions in today's Labour party.’ – Anushka Asthana, `The fierce guardian of Gaitskell through the turmoil of the 1950s, she then became an utterly loyal minister to Wilson. A tough, even ruthless, member of the NEC, while adored by her constituency; socially conservative yet she helped deliver Roy Jenkins’ transformational agenda at the Home Office; though a grammar school girl, she called for and drove through Tony Crosland’s comprehensive education plans. This engaging, intriguing, scrupulous and well researched study of Alice Bacon rightly “recovers” her life as a significant if until now a relatively obscure player in the 1950s and 1960s Labour party.’ – Baroness (Patricia) Hollis, `Rachel Reeves has not only brought to life one of Labour's unsung heroines but, through Alice Bacon's story she's given us her unique take on the party in the heady days after 1945. A loving biography - part social history, part detective work - this is an intimate story of Labour in the last century, written by one of the women who could drive it ahead in this.’ – Allegra Stratton, `Alice in Westminster is the very readable tale of a little known politician who was part of making huge and lasting changes to Britain. Rachel's account of Alice's life and determination proves that politics isn't just the art of the possible, but the practice of getting things done. and a timely reminder that Labour's current dilemmas are far from new. Politicians who made the headlines happen should be remembered too.’ – Laura Kuenssberg, `A well-researched and affectionate portrait of one of Labour's less-celebrated heroines. Readable and scholarly, Reeves' most welcome biography brings Alice Bacon and her distinctive brand of practical socialism vividly to life. It deserves be read widely by students of Labour Party history, as well as by those fascinated by women's long march to equality in twentieth-century British politics.’ Dr Helen McCarthy, author of Women of the World: The Rise of the Female Diplomat, `Alice Bacon’s `loyalty was first and foremost to the Labour Party, not to any faction within it,’ writes Rachel Reeves of the first woman to represent her own Leeds constituency. The now little known Bacon was the `terror of the Trotskyites’ during another period of Labour internecine conflict , a notorious backroom operator , one of the `five giants…in charge of fixing elections in favour of the Gaitskelite right wing’, she nevertheless served Harold Wilson as a minister at the Home office and Dept of Education. A grammar school girl who taught in a secondary modern before becoming an MP, she was a virulent advocate of comprehensive education – `levelling up’ she called it – and which she helped become a reality. In the end `government for Alice was about delivery for working-class families.’ - Lisa Martineau, author of Politics & Power: a Biography of Barbara Castle, `The fascinating story of Yorkshire MP Alice Bacon as told by Rachel Reeves is one of behind-the-scenes determination and influence in postwar Labour politics. Devoted to Hugh Gaitskell she made her mark both in her party and in government while never forgetting where she came from.’ – Jo Coburn, BBC Daily Politics Presenter