Product details
- ISBN 9781837360758
- Publication Date: 23 Jun 2026
- Publisher: Biteback Publishing
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
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"The key missing piece in the Brexit story" Tim Shipman, The Spectator | "A wonderful read from one of the most quietly influential people in politics in recent decades." Chris Mason, BBC
The 2016 Brexit referendum caused a political earthquake, with aftershocks that are still being felt a decade later. For many, including some who voted to leave, the result came as a surprise. But for one man, it was not. The outcome that stunned so many was something he had been working to achieve for twenty years.
You may not have heard of Matthew Elliott, but you should have. He is one of Britain’s most successful campaigners, a reserved and thoughtful strategist who has single-handedly shaped our political landscape. In 2011, he staved off an attempt to change our voting system through the successful NOtoAV campaign. Then, five years later, he steered Vote Leave to victory as its chief executive.
This extraordinary memoir spans the period from the build-up to Brexit during the 1990s to the present day, providing a fresh perspective on what really went on during the campaign, how the result was won and its bitter aftermath. With his customary candour and wit, Matthew reveals what it’s like working side-by-side with Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings, their dealings with Nigel Farage and the tricks of the trade that campaigners use to shape the news.
Here, ten years on from the EU referendum, is the definitive story of Brexit, as told by the man who had a front-row seat to the most extraordinary political campaign of the modern era.
Matthew Elliott is among the UK’s foremost public policy thinkers. Described as ‘one of the most formidable political strategists in Westminster’ (Financial Times) and ‘one of the most successful – and feared – campaigners in British politics’ (New Statesman), he has set up numerous policy campaigns, including the TaxPayers’ Alliance in 2003, and has overseen two successful national referendum campaigns: NOtoAV in 2011 and Vote Leave in 2016. Matthew is currently the co-founder and president of the Jobs Foundation and a member of the House of Lords, where he sits as Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell. His most recent book is Prosperity Through Growth, co-authored with Dr Arthur B. Laffer, Michael Hintze and Douglas McWilliams.
