From hostile briefings and spad skulduggery to extramarital sex, there’s never been any shortage of bad behaviour in Westminster. But political scandal also makes brilliant fodder for novels. Corrupt, egomaniacal characters are natural-born protagonists. The historic corridors of parliament provide a cloistered, detail-rich setting. A culture of secrecy creates inevitable tension and intrigue. None of this goes unnoticed by the leagues of politicians, aides and journalists who pass through the system, watching the sagas unfold first-hand, and then decide to write novels about it.
There are many reasons why ex-politicos turn to fiction. An attempt to hold on to the limelight. Cashing in with a potboiler. A childhood dream to write a book. A genuine interest in the novel as an art form. Boredom. Whatever the explanation, the insider-to-novelist pipeline is nothing new: Michael Dobbs published the first novel in his House of Cards trilogy in 1989 after falling out with Margaret Thatcher, for whom he was chief of staff.
