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Butler to the World
- How Britain Became the Servant of Tycoons, Tax Dodgers, Kleptocrats and Criminals
- Narrated by: Oliver Bullough
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
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Summary
The Suez Crisis of 1956 was Britain's 20th-century nadir, the moment when the once superpower was bullied into retreat. In the immortal words of former US Secretary of State Dean Acheson, 'Britain has lost an empire and not yet found a role.' But the funny thing was, Britain had already found a role. It even had the costume. The leaders of the world just hadn't noticed it yet.
Butler to the World reveals how the UK took up its position at the elbow of the worst people on Earth: the oligarchs, kleptocrats and gangsters. We pride ourselves on values of fair play and the rule of law, but few countries do more to frustrate global anticorruption efforts. We are now a nation of Jeeveses, snobbish enablers for rich halfwits of considerably less charm than Bertie Wooster. It doesn't have to be that way.
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- Mr. Mark Hanson
- 12-10-22
Britain's Shame Exposed
A superb take down of everything rotten with the city of London and the legion of shady hangers-on that infest it. A great argument for handing Gibraltar back to Spain as well.
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- Catherine
- 22-04-22
Revelatory
I learned so much about money laundering and tax evasion by reading this well researched shocking book. Read it along with Kleptopia by Tom Burgis
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2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 04-01-23
Making sense of Brexit, follow the money!
Oliver does a fantastic job of explaining and involving you in the story. It's not just about Brexit, it's about so much more, but it makes sense of the mess we are now in.
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- Jiri
- 10-05-23
Fascinating book!
It’s like a peak behind a mirror. Exciting and surprising in many ways. Plus really enjoyable narration and story.
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- Christopher Golightly
- 21-04-22
Revealing and Horrible
Very revealing and dies confirm that things have fallen to a very low point in Britain when one realises how much of the country's well-being has been down to Imperial gain followed by crookedness.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Nathan Matthews
- 04-10-22
World Class Journalism
A great listen and very eye opening. This is why I love investigative journalism the most.
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- Marion W.
- 04-06-23
Unputdownable
I marvel at the discrepancy between how the UK likes to see itself (democratic, abolished slavery, defeated the Nazis, defender of the underdog) and what is exposed in this brilliantly researched and superbly presented book: a butler Britain enabling kleptocrats from around the globe, helping them disguise their misdeeds and hide their ill gotten wealth from their countries of origin and from taxation. This book should be required reading for all MPs and for anyone with political ambitions. Thank you, Oliver Bullough, for bringing this to light. I look forward to going on one of your kleptocracy tours and seeing a new and unfamiliar side of London.
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- Gordon Duff
- 01-12-22
Great read
Very interesting and informative book recommend it. Well researched, read, the book is one I will read again
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- Helen
- 30-12-22
Insightful
A very interesting audiobook, grateful for the background research that went into writing this book, thank you.
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- Daniel Courtney
- 31-08-22
Fascinating!
An excellent listen, hindered by some poor audio in limited parts of the narration.
This is a very complex, intriguing subject that is made digestible - the authors style is clear, concise and simple which renders the story all the more captivating. A damning indictment of the British thirst for money regardless of its origin and poor choices in attempting to maintain a role in the globalised world. This book is a superb perspective on the what's, whys and how's of Britain evolving to be Butler to the world. Highly recommended.
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