The Chancellors' Tales: Managing the British Economy [Paperback]

Howard Davies (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0745638856 | ISBN-13: 978-0745638850 | Publication Date: January 12, 2007

This remarkable book tells the story of how the British economy has been managed over the last 30 years. The story is told by those who should know more about it than anyone else – the former Chancellors of the Exchequer in both Labour and Conservative administrations.

The Chancellors' Tales offers a unique insider view of the management of a modern economy, charting the opportunities and constraints that each chancellor faced. The book provides a rare historical record of the difficulties and dilemmas of managing the British economy in an increasingly global age. Written with both deep insight and wit, the chapters follow the period in office of each of the chancellors. Each chapter offers a detailed account of the handling of the economy during that chancellors period of office. Taken together they provide a privileged insight into the way the British economy has been run and why.

The chapters are written by Lord Healey, Lord Howe, Lord Lawson of Blaby, Lord Lamont and Kenneth Clarke, MP. The book also contains an introduction by Sir Howard Davies, Director of the London School of Economics. He provides a context in which to understand the contributions of each of the chapters which follow.

The book will be of interest to specialists and non-specialists alike interested in understanding how government works and economies function.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Memoirs are all very well, but usually too long. This invaluable book gives us chancellors on their feet, after most of them have been on the ropes. I couldn’t put it down."
William Keegan, The Observer

"Anyone who remembers the episode of Father Ted in which he uses his Golden Cleric award acceptiance speech to stick the boot in to everyone who has ever crossed him will find many of the reminiscences strangely familiar."
EN Magazine

"One of the many fascinating sub-themes to emerge from this collection is how little regard even the more cerebral holders of the office since 1974 had for the craft of the professional economist ... the inclusion of the discussion transcripts [from the original lectures] is a great bonus."
Peter Hennessy, Times Literary Supplement

"Sir Howard Davies had the ingenious idea of getting every chancellor from Denis Healy, except John Major who held the office for only a year before being translated to higher things, to give an account of how they saw things."
Financial Times

"Davies writes a careful but typically elegant introduction."
Public

"A crucial text for those interested in British economic policy since the breakdown of Bretton Woods."
Chris Huhne, Business Economist

"Almost all the chancellors holding office between 1974 and 1997 set out their personal interpretation of their experiences, with disarming openness at times – and Howard Davies brings the recurring themes together with great skill. Taken collectively these essays give us an absorbing insight into the conduct of economic policy."
Lord Burns, Former Treasury Permanent Secretary

Book Description

This remarkable book tells the story of how the British Economy has been managed over the last 30 years. The story is told by those who should know more about it than anyone else ndash; the former Chancellors of the Exchequer in both Labour and Conservative administrations. The Chancellorsrsquo; Tales offers a unique insider view of the management of a modern economy, charting the opportunities and constraints that each Chancellor faced. The book provides a rare historical record of the difficulties and dilemmas of managing the British economy in an increasingly global age. Written with both deep insight and wit, the chapters follow the period in office of each of the Chancellors. Each chapter offers a detailed account of the handling of the economy during that Chancellor's period of office. Taken together they provide a privileged insight into the way the British economy has been run ndash; and why. The Chapters are written by Lord Healey, Lord Howe, Lord Lawson of Blaby, Lord Lamont and Kenneth Clarke, MP. The book also contains an introduction by Sir Howard Davies, Director of the London School of Economics. He provides a context in which to understand the contributions of each of the chapters which follow. The book will be of interest to specialists and non specialists alike interested in understanding how government works and economies function.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Polity (January 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0745638856
• ISBN-13: 978-0745638850
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,444,498 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Howard Davies is director of the London School of Economics and Political Science. Prior to his current appointment he was chairman of the Financial Services Authority, the UK's single financial regulator since 1998.

Howard Davies had previously served for two years as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England after three years as Director General of the Confederation of British Industry. From 1987 to 1992 he was Controller of the Audit Commission. From 1982 to 1987 he worked for McKinsey & Company in London and during 1985 -1986 was seconded to the Treasury as Special Adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He had previously worked at the Treasury and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including two years as Private Secretary to the British Ambassador in Paris.

Howard Davies was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Merton College, Oxford, where he gained an MA in history and modern languages. In 1979 he was awarded a Harkness Fellowship and in 1980 took an MSc in management sciences at Stanford Graduate School of Business, California. Between 2002 and June 2010 he was a Trustee of the Tate. He is a member of the governing body, Royal Academy of Music; and in 2004 was elected to an Honorary Fellowship at Merton College. In 2004 he joined the board of Morgan Stanley as a non-executive director. He was appointed to the Board of Paternoster in 2006 as a non-executive director, and chaired the Man Booker Prize in 2007. In 2009 he became an advisor to the Government Investment Corporation of Singapore.