Reggie: The Life of Reginald Maudling

REGINALD MAUDLING, seen by The Observer in 1955 as 'a future Prime Minister', never fulfilled his early promise. In this, the first full biography of Maudling, Lewis Baston presents a picture of a popular and respected politician, with a major influence on post-war Britain, whose career ended in scandal and ignominy. In the 1960s and 1970s Maudling occupied a succession of high offices and was twice a candidate for Conservative leadership. He was also a political thinker whose ideas influenced Tory politics for thirty years. He helped liquidate the British Empire, he was the unions' favourite Tory Chancellor, a permissive Home Secretary and an outspoken opponent of Margaret Thatcher. His position now seems well to the left of New Labour. When Maudling failed to reach the top in 1965, the impact on him was devastating. His personal and business life started to go wrong and he lost his ethical moorings. He formed a business partnership with corrupt architect John Poulson and sought riches in the Middle East. When Poulson's corruption was revealed in 1972, Maudling resigned as Home Secretary. In the years that followed Maudling was investigated by the Fraud Squad (who wanted him prosecuted), bankruptcy investigators, the Department of Trade and Industry and inland revenue. The true scale of his involvement in the Poulson scandal is revealed here for the first time. With access to previously secret government and police files, and interviews with family, friends, colleagues and investigators, Lewis Baston is in a unique position to tell the full, tragic story of Maudling's rise and fall. Reggie: The Life of Reginald Maudling restores an extraordinary man to his rightful place in the history of twentieth-century Britain.