Parliamentary Book Awards 2023 Shortlist Announced

NewsPress Release
18 Dec 2023

The Publishers Association and Booksellers Association are delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2023 Parliamentary Book Awards. Now in its eighth year, the awards recognise excellent political writing across three categories: Best Non-Fiction/Fiction by a Parliamentarian, Best Memoir/Autobiography by a Parliamentarian and Best Political Book by a Non-Parliamentarian.

Publishers were invited to nominate titles and authors for the awards, with booksellers selecting the shortlists. Voting is now open for parliamentarians to decide the winner in each category and will close on 17th January, with winners presented with their awards at the Houses of Parliament in February 2024.

This year’s shortlist is:

Non-Fiction/Fiction by a Parliamentarian

  • Politics on the Edge by Rory Stewart (Jonathan Cape)
  • Code of Conduct: Why We Need to Fix Parliament – and How to Do It by Chris Bryant (Bloomsbury Publishing)
  • The Winding Stair by Jesse Norman (Biteback Publishing)

Memoir/Biog by a Parliamentarian

  • Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad: A Family Memoir of Miraculous Survival by Daniel Finkelstein (William Collins)
  • One Boy, Two Bills & a Fry Up by Wes Streeting (Hodder & Stoughton)
  • A Purposeful Life by Dawn Butler (Torva)

Non-Parliamentarian

  • But What Can I Do? by Alastair Campbell (Hutchinson Heinemann)
  • NORMAL WOMEN: 900 Years of Making History by Philippa Gregory (William Collins)
  • An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals by Polly Toynbee (Atlantic Books)
  • BUST? Saving the Economy, Democracy and Our Sanity by Robert Peston & Kishan Koria (Hodder & Stoughton)
  • PLANES, TRAINS AND TOILET DOORS: 50 Places That Changed British Politics by Matt Chorley (William Collins)

Dan Conway, CEO of the Publishers Association, said: “The Parliamentary Book Awards aim to spotlight the very best in political writing, and the last year has offered some of the most influential books yet. This years’ shortlist is really varied, with something for everyone. I look forward to seeing the results of the voting next year, and welcoming Parliamentarians, authors, publishers, and booksellers to the House of Commons once again in February, to celebrate these important books.”

Meryl Halls, Managing Director of the Booksellers Association said: “The Parliamentary Book Awards is such a unique event in the awards calendar and booksellers love being part of the shortlisting process. The Awards highlight the huge range of opinions across the political spectrum and this year’s shortlist is no exception. I’m hugely looking forward to the ceremony in February and can’t wait to see which titles Parliamentarians pick as the winners.”

The Parliamentary Book Awards were launched in 2016 by the Booksellers Association and the Publishers Association to celebrate the best of political writing and acknowledge the important link between politics and the book world.