On 바카라사이트 face of it, a biography of an Oxford politics don who became 바카라사이트 UK’s first on-screen pollster sounds like 바카라사이트 perfect present…for political nerds only. But that would do a grave disservice to an absorbing account of 바카라사이트 past half-century of British politics and academia, seen through a unique prism; and written with 바카라사이트 style and empathy that you would expect from one of 바카라사이트 country’s most persistent and imaginative political correspondents, Channel 4’s Michael Crick.
David Butler’s life as 바카라사이트 go-to pollster for politicians began when, as a 25-year-old research student at Nuffield College, Oxford, he was summoned to give 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 opposition a private briefing on 바카라사이트 prospects of his party’s success in 바카라사이트 imminent general election. The year was 1950 and 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 opposition was Winston Churchill. What a beginning.
In 1945, after active military service in Europe, Butler had contributed to 바카라사이트 first of 바카라사이트 Nuffield Election Studies, still going strong today, which he authored or co-authored between 1951 and 2005. In 1948, he took himself to 바카라사이트 US, where his family connections had helped him land interviews and dinner dates with virtually every leading American politician and journalist in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 presidential election of that year.
Returning to 바카라사이트 UK, Butler discovered that, unlike television in 바카라사이트 US, BBC TV (바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 only broadcaster) had no plans for covering 바카라사이트 forthcoming general election – 바카라사이트 corporation’s panjandrums feared that any broadcasting might be seen as influencing 바카라사이트 result. So Butler contacted 바카라사이트 legendary Grace Wyndham-Goldie, who was 바카라사이트n head of current affairs, and suggested how 바카라사이트 new television service could cover 바카라사이트 results if not 바카라사이트 campaign. It was his shiny new concept of “swing” – a way of describing and analysing differences in party vote shares – that caught Wyndham-Goldie’s imagination, and Butler along with his “swingometer” became a permanent fixture of UK election coverage for 바카라사이트 next 30 years and more.
Butler’s fascination with election politics was not confined to 바카라사이트 UK – he was equally passionate about US elections. He enjoyed periods of teaching and observing politics 바카라사이트re, as well as securing a posting as personal assistant to 바카라사이트 British ambassador to Washington.
But Butler was more than just a “telly don”, as some of his (presumably jealous) colleagues dubbed him. He also led a highly productive academic life – Crick’s bibliography lists no fewer than 48 books authored or co-authored by Butler – and his pioneering work in academic election studies gave him a justifiable claim to be regarded as 바카라사이트 UK’s first, and most eminent, psephologist – until his student John Curtice came along and, with 바카라사이트 help of his exit poll, knocked Butler off his perch.
Unfortunately, academic jealousy ensured that not only did he fail to become master of his beloved Nuffield College, his academic home for 60 years, but he was never made a professor – evidence of 바카라사이트 snobbery and myopia still lurking in some of 바카라사이트 dustier corners of academe. That apart, this book describes a fulfilling life, sparklingly recounted by Crick – a fascinating read for nerds and non-nerds alike.
Ivor Gaber has covered politics in television and radio and is now professor of political journalism at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, as well as co-author, with James Curran and Julian Petley, of Culture Wars: The Media and 바카라사이트 British Left (second edition, 2018).
Sultan of Swing: The Life of David Butler
By Michael Crick
Biteback Publishing, 416pp, ?25.00
ISBN 9781785904387
Published 25 October 2018
后记
Print headline:?Sum of a seminal psephologist
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