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The Nanny State Made Me

A Story of Britain and How to Save it

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The Nanny State Made Me

By: Stuart Maconie
Narrated by: Stuart Maconie
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

It was the spirit of our finest hour, the backbone of our postwar greatness and it promoted some of the boldest and most brilliant schemes this isle has ever produced: it was the Welfare State, and it made you and me. But now it's under threat, and we need to save it.

In this timely and provocative audiobook, Stuart Maconie tells Britain’s Welfare State story through his own history of growing up as a northern working class boy. What was so bad about properly funded hospitals, decent working conditions and affordable houses? And what was so wrong about student grants, free eye tests and council houses? And where did it all go so wrong? Stuart looks toward Britain’s future, making an emotional case for believing in more than profit and loss and championing a just, fairer society.

©2020 Stuart Maconie (P)2020 Penguin Audio Anthropology Europe Great Britain Politics & Government Thought-Provoking Suspenseful
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Critic reviews

"He is as funny as Bryson and as wise as Orwell." (Observer)
All stars
Most relevant
Mr Maconie is a force for good in turbulent times...
You will spend your hours no better than with this audio book.

A superb reminder of things we may have forgot...

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This is an astoundingly good book, enhanced that it is delivered by the consummate performer Stuart Maconie himself. Objective, factual and balanced it’s the cross between that all consuming documentary and a favourite lesson or lecture that pulls you in and engages you almost beyond your will. I Isley take an inordinate amount of time to read/listen to a book. I read this within 24 hours. Extraordinarily good. S L Orchard

A book every Briton must read

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I really enjoyed this book. This is the fourth book by Maconie that I have read and probably the best yet. He really is passionate in his defence of the welfare state and at times you can feel his anger at what has become of it in recent times. The narration is obviously spot on and I'm sure that any fans of his radio work will enjoy this immensely.

Fabulous

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Hard to imagine how things can change when our governments, bankers, media moguls are doing so well from privatisation. Even 2020 selfless NHS staff after treating the Prime Minister through his self-induced Covid illness, they are being told they won't be receiving a pay rise anywhere near a member of parliaments upgrades, mostly all working from (one of their) homes.

Eye-opening and enjoyable

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reading this in late march and April 2020, when the state is needed more than ever to save us from the twin evils of pandemic and the Tory party has been emotional. A celebration of the collective consciousness over the cult of individualism and identity politics.

A book for our time

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