Who Runs Britain?: ...and who's to blame for the economic mess we're in

Description

On 13 September 2007, Robert Peston broke the news that Northern Rock had become a victim of the global credit crunch and was seeking an emergency loan from the Bank of England. It was the latest in a long line of scoops by this award-winning journalist. Over the weeks that followed, the Government found itself exposed to the Rock to the tune of 57 billion, or almost 2000 for every taxpayer.As Robert Peston shows in his fascinating new book, the seeds for the collapse of Northern Rock and the upheavals in the financial markets were sown years before. WHO RUNS BRITAIN? is the first time anyone has drawn all the threads together to weave a story that's rich in extraordinary characters and outrageous feats of economic bravado. This book is about the widening gap between the super-rich and the rest of us. It explores and explodes the myth that the financial creativity of those who are amassing these vast fortunes is good for the wider economy and for all of us. Whether you're a financial expert or just have a bank account, WHO RUNS BRITAIN? is a book you must read.

Formerly editor of the Sunday Telegraph"'s Business and Money sections, Robert Peston is now the BBC's Business Editor. He was the Financial Times"'s Political Editor between 1995 and 2000 where he won the What The Papers Say award for investigative journalism.

'A compelling portrait of early 21st century casino capitalism ... essential reading.' -- Howard Davies, The Times 20080202 'Fluent, incredibly up to the minute look at Britain ... Peston, in relaxed, conversational style is a great travelling companion along the highways of finance.' -- Observer 20080202 'This lucid and timely guide to the world of turbo-capitalism ... absorbing book, essential reading for anyone who wants to know how the British economy now operates.' -- Peter Wilby, Guardian 20080202 'starkly lucid' -- Polly Toynbee, Guardian 20080202 'Peston catches the zeitgeist of Britain and the paradox that is Gordon Brown.' -- Financial Times 20080216 'engaging' -- Harry Mount, Telegraph 20080216