The Chancellors: Steering the British Economy in Crisis Times

When the Treasury lost control of interest rates to the Bank of England in 1997, its status looked under threat. However, it quickly reasserted its power by dominating policymaking across Whitehall and diminishing other ministries in the process. It also successfully fought off attempts by Prime Ministers, from Blair to Johnson, to cut it down to size.

In this fascinating insider account, based on in-depth interviews with the Chancellors and key senior officials, Howard Davies shows how the...