John Murray scoops Telegraph political editor’s ‘explosive’ début on the Tories in eight-way auction

John Murray has triumphed in an eight-way auction for Telegraph political editor Ben Riley-Smith’s “explosive and entertaining” début The Right to Rule: The Tories’ Rise, Reinvention and Implosion.

Joe Zigmond, editorial director at John Murray, an imprint of John Murray Press, acquired world English-language rights from Max Edwards at Aevitas Creative Management UK in a “fiercely fought” eight-way auction, after he turned down four attempted pre-empts from various publishers. The book is set to be published as a major lead title in time for the general election expected in 2024.

The Right to Rule is described by the publisher as “the story of what just happened in British politics.” The synopsis continues: “We have seen five different Conservative prime ministers back-to-back – something which last occurred two centuries ago – each with their own distinct mission and message. From the ashes of a financial crisis, to a break with the UK’s biggest trading partner, to a global pandemic, cabinets – and ideologies – have switched, but the Conservative Party has remained in power.

“Through his unique access and brilliant insights, Ben Riley-Smith captures the big picture: how the Tories kept changing, kept revolting – and kept winning. This riveting account shows how ruthless reinvention ensured the Tories stayed in Number 10, and yet could contribute to their downfall. It is the essential, entertaining and explosive account for anyone wondering how Britain got into this state.”

During his decade covering politics, Ben Riley-Smith has questioned all five of the last Tory prime ministers and recorded the key campaigns first hand. He has a history of revealing scoops and setting the news agenda – over the last calendar year, his reporting has appeared on more than 120 Telegraph front pages. He has been twice shortlisted for Politics Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards, and is an experienced broadcaster, taking turns presenting BBC Radio 4’s “Week in Westminster”, and appearing across the BBC, ITV, LBC and STV.

He said: “I’m delighted to be working on this project with John Murray. There has been so much turbulence, upheaval and political drama over the past 12 years, yet one thing has remained constant throughout – the Tories having the keys to Number 10. The Right to Rule is an attempt to make sense of how this has happened. Faces and policies have come and gone in shape-shifting driven, above all else, by the urge to keep power. By going back to the critical moments of change, talking to the central players and unpacking what was really happening behind the scenes, it is hoped readers will better understand how the ruling party has kept hold of the top job for so long.”

Zigmond commented: “A razor-sharp writer and supremely gifted journalist, Ben’s account of this Tory government will be the first to connect the dots over almost a decade and a half. Witty, hair-raising and brilliantly sourced, this account will link as never before stories of the Coalition, the Referendum, the travails of May, the chaos of the pandemic, the sagas of Johnson, the Truss implosion and the Sunak patch-job. For readers left and right who want the inside track, this will uncover the human dramas and provide a long-view analysis of a political whirlwind. It’s time to take stock of the government we have all just witnessed, and The Right to Rule will define it for years to come.”