How Britain Ends

English Nationalism and the Rebirth of Four Nations

Gavin Esler author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:4th Feb '21

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

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How Britain Ends cover

A thoughtful, articulate and important book about the rise of English nationalism and the impending breakup of the United Kingdom from one of the finest BBC journalists of the last twenty years.

A book about the rise of English nationalism and the impending breakup of the United Kingdom.

'An eloquent, forensic examination of resurgent English nationalism as the force that has driven Brexit and may now break up the United Kingdom' Jonathan Coe 'A fascinating book that draws on poetry, literature and on-the-ground reporting'The Times'A wonderful book which will be quoted in years to come'New European In the past, it was possible to live with delightful confusion: one could be English or British, Scottish or Irish, and a citizen/subject of the United Kingdom (or Great Britain). Now this archaic state is coming under terrible strain. The English revolt against Europe is also a revolt against the Scottish and Irish, and the pressures to declare Scottish independence and to push for a border poll that would unite Ireland may become irresistible. Can England and Wales find a way of dealing with the state's new place in the world? What constitutional, federal arrangements might prevent the disintegration of the British state? How Britain Ends is a book about history, but also about the strange, complicated identity of Britishness.

A wonderful book which will be quoted in years to come * New European *
Packed with broad cultural and literary insight to go with hard-nosed political evaluation * GQ *
A fascinating book that draws on poetry, literature and on-the-ground reporting * The Times *
A cool-headed contribution to this often emotional debate * Sunday Business Post *
An eloquent, forensic examination of resurgent English nationalism as the force that has driven Brexit and may now break up the United Kingdom -- Jonathan Coe
In the coming years, many people will be writing about the end of the UK. They'll all quote this wonderful and curiously moving book. I know I will -- James Hawes, author of The Shortest History of England
A former BBC journalist, [Esler] has travelled round the UK as intensively as anyone, and he is deeply worried about what he sees as the collapse of the British idea and the emergence of English nationalism. As Esler sees it, the unruly, destructive force of English nationalism now threatens to break the United Kingdom, heralding, as his subtitle has it, the 'rebirth of four nations'... The present government has no zest for genuine reinvention, because it refuses to recognise that there is anything much to worry about. And as Esler insists, recognition is the necessary first step to reform' -- Ferdinand Mount, Financial Times
Gavin Esler takes a sober, measured look at the forces threatening to tear apart the four nations * Choice Magazine *
Both timely and provocative * Sunday Times *
His book is intelligent, interesting... This is a good book and a valuable one' * Scotsman *
A consistently thought-provoking and well-argued book, and yet the more I read it, the more I wondered about English nationalism * Books from Scotland *
Timely and incisive... Gavin Esler dispels the myth that delivering a Brexit deal, or no deal, would being an 'end' to Brexit' -- Francis Grove White, People's Vote Campaign
Everything a good Remainer needs to persuade the Brexiters, punchy, pithy and short -- Polly Toynbee
If you want a pithy, sober, clear-headed summary of what Brexit is actually likely to look like, Gavin Esler's new book is spot on. Such a welcome antidote to all the whipped-up sentiment – calm, factual, rigorous -- Dr Rachel Clarke
A brilliant demolition of the lies and liars that created the Brexit mess. Should be required reading at his old stamping ground, the BBC -- Alastair Campbell
Witty, informed, smart – the best-written polemic I've read in some time * Glasgow Herald *
An important book... [Esler] writes a clear, stimulating description of our position following our departure from the European Union' * Kent Bylines *

ISBN: 9781800241053

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

320 pages