Westminster Book Awards 2024 shortlist revealed
The Westminster Book Awards presented by the Booksellers Association and the Publishers Association (formerly known as the Parliamentary Book Awards) has announced this year’s shortlists. They include books from Alexei Navalny, Mishal Husain, Caroline Lucas and Jess Phillips.
Now in their ninth year, the awards recognise excellent political writing across three categories: Best Non-Fiction or Fiction by a Parliamentarian, Best Biography by a Parliamentarian and Best Political Book by a Non-Parliamentarian.
Publishers were invited to nominate books for the awards and booksellers selected the shortlists. Voting is now open for parliamentarians to decide the winner in each category and will close on Wednesday 15 January. Winners will be presented with their awards at the Houses of Parliament on 12 February 2025.
This year’s shortlist is:
Best Fiction or Non-Fiction book by a Parliamentarian:
Another England: How to Reclaim Our National Story by Caroline Lucas
Let’s Be Honest by Jess Phillips
The Inequality of Wealth by Liam Byrne
Best Biography by a Parliamentarian:
Harold Wilson Twentieth Century Man by Alan Johnson
Rivals in the Storm: How Lloyd George Seized Power, Won the War and Lost His Government by Damian Collins
Eight Weeks by Baroness Lola Young
Best book by a Non-Parliamentarian:
Patriot by Alexei Navalny
Broken Threads: My Family From Empire to Independence by Mishal Husain
The Lie of the Land by Guy Shrubsole
Failed State by Sam Freedman
Goodbye to Russia by Sarah Rainsford
Dan Conway, CEO of the Publishers Association, said:
“The Westminster Book Awards showcase the very best political books and this year’s shortlists cover a range of important and thought-provoking subjects both nationally and internationally. The awards are a highlight of the publishing and political calendar and I am hugely looking forward to welcoming Parliamentarians, authors, publishers and booksellers to the House of Commons in February to celebrate these books and their authors.”
Meryl Halls, Managing Director of the Booksellers Association, said:
“We are delighted to see such strong shortlists for all the categories of the newly named Westminster Book Awards. The awards ceremony is a highlight of the year, bringing together MPs and Peers with booksellers and publishers, and is a great moment to celebrate the breadth of writing by and about Parliamentarians, and that focussing on our politics and our political landscape – at a time where politics has never been more important.”
The Westminster Book Awards (under the name Parliamentary Book Awards) were launched in 2016 by the Booksellers Association and the Publishers Association to celebrate the best of political writing and acknowledge the important link between politics and the book world.