There are several criteria by which I judge a biography; does it tell me things that I did not know about a person, did it put him/her into their historic time frame, and, perhaps the most oft missed, does it highlight weaknesses, as well as salute achievements?

This book comfortably complies with all of the above list AND goes on to achieve the extra distinction of adding to my reading list. This book has lead to me purchasing five more tomes, immediately, to garner more information about people and events mentioned en passant within this work.

Michael Foot was born into a Liberal family and began his political life as part of that party. He was soon to realise that they did not hold the same ideals as himself and, as a young man, found a niche on the left wing of the Labour Party. This approach to his political outlook had the advantage that he was not in awe of the Russian style communist dictatorship, as were so many other Labour idealists. This was to lead Foot into clashing with Tony Benn, the other pin up of the Labour left.

Through the late seventies and eighties, Benn became a figure head for the Militant grouping which inveigled its way into the Labour Party. Militant would take over a quiet backwater Labour Constituency Party and extract the middle of the road committee, replacing them with Militant supporters. Needless to say, this did not lead to a more electable party.

By the time that Michael Foot became leader, in 1980, the Labour Party was seen as unelectable and a new party, the Social Democrats, were expected to replace them. Michael took on Benn in a way that would have been unacceptable from a leader of the right, and neutralised his power. Although the next General Election saw the worst results for Labour, since the 1940's, the fightback had started and, under Neil Kinnock the boat was eventually steadied.

Foot was not only a politician, he was also a journalist, not just in the political sphere, but also in Literary circles. He has produced books on Byron, Hazlitt and Swift, all worthy of their place on any bookshelf. He was still writing into his eighties and retained an interest in the Labour Party where he was delighted to see Tony Blair (hardly a protégée, although, Blair admits to having been influenced by Foot) become Prime Minister.

As you can see, Foot was more Banquo than Macbeth. ( )