"The Rebels: How Blair mislaid his majority" by Philip Cowley. Essential reading. A re-assessment of Parliament, and especially the Commons, in the light of the rebellions suffered by Blair at the hands of his own MPs.
"The Strange Death of Tory England" by Geoffrey Wheatcroft. Vividly written analysis of the decline of the Tory Party, written from a High Tory perspective; takes the story to Michael Howard's 'coronation', and includes some essential recent history.
"The Rise of Political Lying" by Peter Oborne. Right-wing journalist analyses the methods of government 'spinning', not surprisingly focusing most on Tony Blair's government. The book is a readable and damning account of the Blair government's methods, notwithstanding the journalist's own political position.
"Pretty Straight Guys" by Nick Cohen. Left-wing journalist's scathing critique of New Labour in office.
"The Rivals" by James Naughtie. An account of the rivalry between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown by 'Today' programme presenter.
"Servants of the People" by Andrew Rawnsley. Account of New Labour's first term in office - very readable, and contains some extraordinary revelations; a little dated now.
"The Prime Minister" by Peter Hennessy. Weighty history and analysis of the office of Prime Minister, with chapter profiles of each post-war PM.
"The Hidden Wiring" by Peter Hennessy. Academic Whitehall watcher takes us through the intricacies of how the government really works.
"Blair's Wars" by John Kampfner. Political editor of the "New Statesman" provides critical survey of Blair's foreign policy.
BIOGRAPHIES
Political biographies will always provide useful insights into the country's political culture. There are a huge number of political memoirs out there, the most famous of which are Alan Clark's Diaries. Most memoirs have to be taken with caution, designed as they are to show the author in the most favourable light. However, they do also provide considerable insight into the thinking of their authors, and frank - if tilted - accounts of key political decision making. Clark's are entertaining, although as much for the non-political stuff as anything. Recent Prime Ministerial biographies are:
"One of Us" by Hugo Young. Recently deceased liberal journalist's account of the political career of Margaret Thatcher.
"John Major: An Autobiography". Engaging account of Major's time in office by the man himself, although very partial - no mention of Edwina Currie here!!
There are a number of Blair biographies which, by their nature, can offer only an update on his premiership, rather than a finished review. The best available are probably "Tony Blair: Prime Minister" by John Rentoul, which is sympathetic, and the much shorter "Tony Blair" by Mick Temple, which is one of an excellent series of short biographies of the 20th. century Prime Ministers just recently published.