Against the tide

In 1973, Labour MP Dick Taverne caused a national sensation when he stood against his own party as an independent to win a historic by-election in Lincoln.

Demonstrating the power of the individual against party politics, his bold move was a forerunner for the formation of the SDP some eight years later and cemented his own place in political history.

Peppered with entertaining anecdotes, Against the Tide sets Tavernes political battles in the context of a rich and varied life.

After studying at Oxford University, Taverne juggled a legal career while taking his first steps in politics, before serving in Harold Wilsons government during the 1960s.

His later achievements included the launch of the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the founding of the charity Sense About Science, whose objective of advancing public understanding of science continues to inform public debate today.

Still an active member of the House of Lords, Dick Taverne presents a thoughtful and compelling memoir, as well as a measured account of fraught and turbulent times.