The fourteen-year Parliamentary career of Britain’s first Green MP is one of the historical political stories of our time, of a campaigner who overcame the odds to finally install a Green Party member into the national political debate. But once she got there, what she found was less-than ideal. But why? Lucas’ 2015 book Honourable Friends? attempts to explain just this, but just like the Green Paty overall, struggles.
Lucas’ book recounts a variety of issues and actions that she covered during her first term, as well as observations about the overall system of Parliamentary democracy within which she serves. Whether it is about austerity, the environment or energy, Lucas uses her book to cover a variety of issues, but often takes a middle-of-the-road approach to the selected topics, which works against her. She covers enough topics that there is no room to comprehensively explore each, but not enough to cover issues wider than the regular Green Party favourites, a barrier which often limits their performance – it reads like a Jack-of-all-Trades but a master of none.
Whilst her insights are appreciated, especially as a fresh and largely unrestrained voice in the miasma of the 2010-2015 Parliament, her impact is often slightly overstated within Parliament itself – she often forgets that whilst she represents the entire Green movement, she remained one of 650. That being said, a number of issues and perspectives covered were of immense importance, including her willingness to create a left-leaning group with Labour, Liberal, independent and nationalist, yet having not done so after fourteen years, one has to conclude that her overestimation of her power had been shown.
The most interesting aspect, however, was her campaigning, ability to hit the ground running, and work with people of all persuasions on topics that mattered, as well as exposing some of the intricacies and baffling aspects of our democratic systems. Whether discussing her arrest or number of campaigns with people on all sides of the House, Lucas’ efforts are clearly displayed throughout the book and truly connects to the reader. When discussing, for example, how votes are carried out, it becomes painfully clear to the reader how malfunctional many areas of the system are, which only a relatively independent figure, such as Lucas, could truly communicate.
Honourable Friends? is a truly unique book as far as MPs accounts go, but falls into a similar, half-baked trap that many of them unfortunately tend to. Whilst a fantastic chance to see a perspective from someone who is not from one the major political parties, the book fails to feel groundbreaking, but will be a welcome addition to the collection of political books, particularly from one with as distinguished a career as Lucas’.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Honourable Friends? (ISBN: 978-1-84627-593-7) was published in 2015
