Road to referendum

A truly important book, particularly at this moment.

It offers a huge sweep of history and deals with recent Scottish politics in formidable, but never tedious detail. Andrew Marr Iain Macwhirter is shrewd, insightful and with few rivals in the business of understanding and explaining the changing politics of Scotland.

Jonathan Freeland, The Guardian Iain Macwhirter offers a highly readable and personal account of Scottish history drawing on wide reading and a career during which he has followed these debates more closely and consistently than any other journalist.

He enlivens old stories with new perspectives, challenges established wisdom and raises awkward questions for protagonists and antagonists in equal measure on either side of todays debate.Professor James Mitchell, University of Edinburgh On the 18th September 2014, Scotland will decide the future of the United Kingdom.

This is the story of how we got here and where we might go yet.

The upcoming referendum on Scottish independence is a landmark in the history of the United Kingdom, potentially ending the 300 year old union between the countries within Britain. And it has raised so many questions why have Scots seemingly fallen out of love with the union?

Why have the SNP risen to unprecedented heights? And what does the future hold for both countries, north and south of the border?

Cargo has joined forces with The Herald and STV to bring you Road To Referendum - a companion book to the landmark three-part television series presented by one of the UKs foremost political correspondents, Iain Macwhirter.

In this unique, instantly accessible book, Macwhirter takes us back through Scottish history to look at the social, political and economic changes that have seen the rise of the Scottish nationalism and taken us to the potential end of the United Kingdom.

Macwhirters deft and skilled analysis takes us behind the scenes of UK politics, to see the rise and fall of the major players, to give us the inside story on the most dangerous man in Britain, First Minister Alex Salmond, and to find out who really holds the power in UK politics.

Road to Referendum takes us on a journey through the history of the UK and shows us where the road might lead us with unparalleled insight.