Ferdinand Mount

Secrets of the secretaries

Is the main purpose of the cabinet secretary to frustrate the PM? Two new books uncover the hole in the middle of Whitehall

  • The Cabinet Office 1916—2016: The Birth of Modern Government

    Anthony Seldon

    Biteback, pp. 360

  • The Official History of the Cabinet Secretaries

    Ian Beesley

    Routeledge, pp. 722

Already a subscriber? Log in

This article is for subscribers only

Subscribe today to get 3 months' delivery of the magazine, as well as online and app access, for only £3.

  • Weekly delivery of the magazine
  • Unlimited access to our website and app
  • Enjoy Spectator newsletters and podcasts
  • Explore our online archive, going back to 1828

Read next

Trending

Angus Colwell

Do people find Trump as scary anymore?

In the Spectator offices, my colleague Mary Wakefield and I often end up talking about young people while we’re making tea. She thinks I’m a bit too cocky about civilisation. Apparently when she starts telling me something nutty that she’s seen my generation doing, my eyes start darting madly, looking for a way out. She probably looks

More on book review

Also by Ferdinand Mount

Latest

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in