Swift Press to publish new prime ministers series

Swift Press will publish a new series of popular biographies of British prime ministers, launching with Winston Churchill by Peter Caddick-Adams on election day, 4th July 2024.

Publisher Mark Richards bought world rights to all the books, and he acquired the rights to Caddick-Adams’ biography from Patrick Walsh at PEW Literary.

The biographies aim to shine "a new light on British politics and history". Churchill’s biography will be followed by former Labour Cabinet minister Alan Johnson’s biography of Harold Wilson in September, while Iain Dale’s Margaret Thatcher and Jason Cowley’s Clement Attlee are scheduled for 2025. 

Richards bought world rights to Cowley’s book from Andrew Gordon at David Higham Associates and to Johnson’s biography from Clare Alexander at Aitken Alexander, and he acquired the rights to Dale’s book from Northbank Talent.

"We live in an age of political instability, with prime ministers coming and going with unusual rapidity," Richards said. "Readers might well ask if it’s always been quite this chaotic, and what we can learn about our current turmoil by taking the long view. Publishing on election day, after which we will almost certainly have the fifth prime minister in five years, seems especially appropriate for the first title in a series which helps to put our current events into context; and we are thrilled to have such a stellar line-up of authors."