This book takes Neil Kinnock up to the point of becoming leader of the Labour Party. It predicts a future that Mr Kinnock probably deserved, but never got.

Of all the leaders involved in reshaping the British Labour Party into an electable entity once more, Neil Kinnock is, in many ways, the most interesting. John Smith's tenure was too short, and besides, by dying in office, he became a saint whose memory must not be tarnished by remembrance of any errors. Tony Blair was a natural centrist politician and Gordon Brown a XXXXXXX - sorry, the laws of libel prevent me from completing this sentence (in case I get another, of a different kind!) Neil Kinnock was, by nature, a sympathiser with the left but, he recognised that things had gone too far and, if Labour were not to become a foot note in history, change was needed.

Kinnock was the first Labour Leader to be noticeable in his willingness to take on the left. He was not able to go as far as, say Blair, because he was the trail blazer. He forged a path for those that followed, but received precious little recognition. Kinnock is an intelligent man and a sensitive one. The failures hurt him deeply.

This book's usefulness is in that it reminds us of the potential of the man. So much that is predicted does not occur but, so much that Tony Blair was able to achieve came about thanks to Neil Kinnock. ( )