Jacket for 'The Lost Leaders'

Publishers

UK - Little, Brown

The Lost Leaders

By Edward Pearce

Published Jan 2010

The Lost Leaders consists of three long biographical essays about men who did not become Prime Minister. RA Butler, Denis Healey and Iain Macleod had their faults and made their mistakes, but given their sheer ability and essential good judgement, their rejection – by party misjudgement, intrigue or lack of talent for getting, but not doing, the job – robbed us of the best men of their time.

Pearce gives an account of three fascinating lives, offering a sympathetic critique of the men. He also looks for the reasons why an obvious high talent is so often rejected for the supreme job.