DC Confidential

Description

Christopher Meyer was Ambassador to the United States from 1997 to 2003, during which time he was an eyewitness to and participant in the events following 9/11 and the preparations for the Iraq war. Never before has there been such a riveting and candid memoir of life behind the diplomatic scenes. Meyer's is an honest account of what he saw, what he heard and how he felt. The cast list of characters who feature here includes Margaret Thatcher, Bob Hope, the Clintons, Steven Spielberg, Condoleeza Rice, Alastair Campbell and Jack Straw. The book reveals close encounters with Tony Blair, Robin Cook and Peter Mandelson; KGB honey traps in Russia; a major row with Bill Clinton; inside stories on Number 10 and the Foreign Office; and of course life behind the scenes with Blair and George W. Bush. It was clear that the Prime Minister's office and not the Foreign Office would control relations with Washington, and Meyer shows in close up how he helped facilitate the 'special relationship'.

Sir Christopher Meyer was Ambassador to the United States from 1997 until 2003, and before that he was Press Secretary to John Major. He is now Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission.

'it is delightfully undiplomatic - brimming with barbed comments, colourful anecdotes and amusing assesments of No 10's top talent.' -- Aimee Shalan THE GUARDIAN '...absorbing account by Meyer of his tenure as ambassador to Washington during distinctly interesting times. His descriptions of the building of new Labour's relationship with the US administration, and the battles between the foreign office and No 10 are fascinating'. SUNDAY TIMES, 'the insights into buffoons who run amok in our name makes this a rude, iconoclastic delight.' -- Martin Tierney THE HERALD