Carney, Mitchell, Mordaunt and Lewis take home prizes at Parliamentary Book Awards

Mark Carney, Andrew Mitchell, Penny Mordaunt and Chris Lewis have been announced as the winners of the 2021 Parliamentary Book Awards in a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on 9th March, beating political figures including Gordon Brown, Jess Phillips, Lady Hale and Ed Balls. 

Carney, the former governor of the Bank of England, won Best Political Book by a Non-Parliamentarian for Value(s): The Must-Read Book On How to Fix Our Politics, Economics and Values (William Collins), an exploration of how social values and economic values become blurred, and what can be done to rectify this imbalance and build a better world. 

Mordaunt and Lewis took home Best Non-Fiction Book by a Parliamentarian for Greater: Britain After the Storm (Biteback), delving into the history and culture of Britain to understand the UK’s current political divisions, and how reforms are needed post-Brexit in order for the country to move forward. 

Mitchell scooped the Best Biography, Memoir or Autobiography by a Parliamentarian for Beyond a Fringe: Tales from a Reformed Establishment Lackey (Biteback), in which he shares tales from his life and career in politics, from the realities of the Whips’ Office to the story behind the infamous Plebgate scandal.  

Biteback editorial director, Olivia Beattie, who commissioned both of the publisher’s winning books, said: "We couldn’t be prouder to have not one but two titles joining the list of Parliamentary Book Awards winners. Andrew’s book is very different from Penny and Chris’s, but what they have in common is their proof that keen insight and deeply held principles can be worn lightly, delivering writing that’s as entertaining as it is essential. We’re really grateful to the Booksellers Association and Publishers Association for all their work in championing the broad range of brilliant political writing today."

Meryl Halls, m.d. of the Booksellers Association, said: “We are delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Parliamentary Book Awards, three remarkable titles which demonstrate the breadth of political writing today. With a shortlist exploring timely issues including the legacy of imperialism, the nuances of freedom of speech, the fight against fascism, and life post-Brexit, the Parliamentary Book Awards continue to reflect the most important issues being discussed in the UK, highlighting the significant link between politics and publishing.” 

Stephen Lotinga, chief executive of the Publishers Association, added: “Huge congratulations to this year’s brilliant winners. Their books shed light on key moments in our recent political history and present manifestos for how we should approach the future. We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the best political writing in the UK with authors, parliamentarians, publishers and booksellers at the House of Commons again this year.”