An Outsider Inside No 10

This memoir of the six years during which John Warwicker was seconded from his high-ranking position at Scotland Yard to take command of the Special Branch protection team at Downing Street covers one of the most turbulent periods in modern British politics. From 1974-79, when the threat of the Cold War and the IRA was ever present, the 'targets' who Warwicker protected daily, both at home and overseas, were Prime Ministers Wilson, Callaghan and Thatcher. For good reasons of national security, more than thirty years have passed since he left his post, but the content, which includes a fascinating and frank insight into the day-to-day operations at 10 Downing Street and Chequers and the eccentric cast of characters within, is based not only on personal memories and experience, but often also from contemporaneous notes. Despite the constant threat of terriorism that was prevalent at the time, there is a touch of Yes, Prime Minister that runs through the narrative which adds a surprisingly amusing element to this revelatory book.