Rachel Reeves beats Jess Phillips and Melvyn Bragg to win book award

Ms Reeves’ book, Women of Westminster: The MPs who changed Politics, snagged the prize for Best Non-Biographical Book by a Parliamentarian at the Parliamentary Book Awards last night.

Ms Reeves said: “I’m delighted to win this award and the timing could not be more perfect since this week marks the 100th anniversary of the first speech by a woman in parliament- with Nancy Astor’s maiden speech.

“Until then, women’s voices weren’t heard in Westminster. That’s all changed and I’m proud to celebrate the Women of Westminster in my book.”

In her category Ms Reeves beat shortlisted entries from fellow Labour MP Jess Phillips and broadcaster and Labour life peer Lord Melvyn Bragg,

The awards ceremony was hosted by Dame Margaret Hodge MP, with Pippa Crerar, Political Editor of the Daily Mirror returning to present for the second year.

The other winners were MP Ian Murray, winning Best Biography or Memoir by a Parliamentarian for This is Our Story: How the Fans Kept Their Hearts Beating, the story of how fans of Heart of Midlothian - Edinburgh's oldest football club – donated their own money to save the club from ruin in 2014.

And broadcaster James O’Brien took home Best Political Book by a non-Parliamentarian for his book How to be Right: In A World Gone Wrong.

Meryl Halls, Managing Director of the Booksellers Association, said: “We are delighted to celebrate this year’s winning titles, which showcase the vast wealth of subjects tackled in political writing.

“Parliamentarians had an incredible range of titles to choose from this year, with a shortlist exploring everything from gender in politics to a 12th century love story, from questions of identity and citizenship to the passion of football fans for their community.

“The Parliamentary Book Awards continue to demonstrate the contribution books make to the political discussions taking place today, underlining the importance of the link between the political sphere and the book world.”

Stephen Lotinga, the Chief Executive of the Publishers Association, added: “From a strong shortlist we have three fantastic winners that showcase the variety of brilliant political writing in the UK today.

“From Ian Murray’s inspiring account of the importance and power of community; Rachel Reeves’ fascinating and informative look at the achievements of, and challenges faced by, female MPs in the past and now and James O’Brien’s lively interrogation of fake news.

“Congratulations to the authors and publishers of these books which entertain but also offer insight into the political landscape.”

This year’s winners were selected from a shortlist featuring many familiar names from Westminster and beyond, including David Cameron’s For the Record, Truth to Power: 7 Ways to Call Time on B.S by Jess Phillips, Love Without End: A Story of Heloise and Abelard by Melvyn Bragg, and Lemn Sissay’s autobiography My Name is Why.

The ceremony was originally scheduled for December 4, 2019 but was postponed due to the General Election.