It Wouldn't be Christmas Without Bond

Christmas means Bond films, especially in that weird period between Christmas and New Year when we all lose track of what day of the week it is. Here are my seasonal top 5.

1. OHMSS. Go Lazenby. On Her Majesty's Secret Service stands apart from the rest not just because it's George Lazenby's sole outing as Bond. More important are a plot that works, Diana Rigg, and what will always be the most brutal ending to any Bond film. It's even set around Christmas.

Bunt: [A girl writes on Bond's leg under the table, to which Bond makes an awkward face] Is anything ze matter, Sir Hilary? 

Bond: Just a slight stiffness coming on... in the shoulder.

2. Goldeneye. The first Bond I saw at a cinema was Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye, a film that stylishly brought 007 back to life. As becomes clear as you read through the rest of this list, the plot of 007 stopping a space-based nuke is a tweak on a common enough story. Helping the film to such an elevated status is the N64 game, which remains one of the best computer games I've ever played.

Onatopp: You don't need the gun, commander. 

Bond: Well, that depends on your definition of safe sex.

3. Goldfinger. If you can excuse Sean Connery’s Bond wearing a towelling playsuit, then this is a classic Bond film with a nuke, the Aston Martin every man wants to own, and Pussy Galore. 'Do you expect me to talk?' 'NO, Mr Bond. I expect you to die.' But Bond still stops that nuke.

Bond: Ejector seat? You’re joking!

Q: I never joke about my work, 007.

4. Thunderball. This film always makes me think of jetpacks and the RAF’s delta-winged Vulcan bombers. Of course, a Vulcan bomber and its nuclear payload are stolen and used by SPECTRE to try and blackmail the West. And of course, it’s 007 to the rescue.

Bond: Do you mind if my friend sits this one out? She's just dead.

5. Live and Let Die. Roger Moore's first outing as Bond is one of his best and will always be remembered for Baron Samedi, its racial politics, and 007 wearing flared jeans.

Bond: Lovers lesson number two; togetherness 'till death do us part, or thereabouts.

Solitaire: Is there time before we leave for lesson number three?

Bond: Absolutely. There's no sense in going off half-cocked.

As for the rest—

6. Skyfall. Bond blows up his family home and loses M. 

7. Casino Royale. 'I've got a little itch down there, would you mind?'

8. The Spy Who Loved Me. The one with the Union Jack parachute opening, the Lotus Esprit that's turns into a submarine, Jaws and lots of stolen nukes in stolen nuclear submarines. It's a bit of a nuke-fest.

9. Moonraker. 007 heads into space and Jaws becomes a good guy.

10. Spectre. Bond blows up MI6 HQ and fights his lost brother (of sorts) in a plot similar to the parody of Austin Powers.

11. Tomorrow Never Dies. Bond goes after a warmongering Rupert Murdoch.

12. You Only Live Twice. 007 destroys a big rocket base hidden inside a Japanese volcano and stops nuclear war.

13. The World is Not Enough. Villain steals some nuclear weapons to blackmail the West via threatening an oil pipeline. 007 to the rescue.

14. The Man with the Golden Gun. Christopher Lee as a $1 million a shot assassin.

15. From Russia With Love. Bond steals a Russian typewriter that can decode messages, probably ones about nuclear weapons. 

16. The Living Daylights. Bond goes to Afghanistan.

17. For Your Eyes Only. Bond retrieves a British typewriter lost at sea that can decode nuclear messages.

18. Licence to Kill. Bond quits to become a drug dealer.

19. A View to a Kill. An ageing Roger Moore stops a Nazi-bred experiment from using a nuclear weapon to destroy San Francisco.

20. Diamonds are Forever. Bond enjoys himself in Amsterdam and Vegas in order to stop a weapon that is essentially a glorified diamond necklace in space.

21. Quantum of Solace. Plot? I don't know, but no nukes in this one, although they would have helped. 

22. Octopussy. 007 stops a nuclear weapon going off while dressed as a clown.

23. Dr No. 'That's a Smith and Wesson, and you've had your six.' The first film is a classic but I find it tedious. 

24. Die Another Day. The one with North Koreans and far too much CGI.

Speaking on Brexit in New York, 5 February

I'll be speaking on Brexit to the LSE's New York alumni group next February. Details here and below.

Bibliography of Brexit - Updated

I first compiled this list back in the summer. With the end of 2017 approaching I felt it was a good time to update the list. 


Britain’s relations with the EU and the rest of Europe have long fascinated authors. The result has been a wealth of books on the topic, to say nothing of the media and academic journal articles, and reports from think tanks, government, the EU and other European governments, businesses, charities, NGOs, law firms and consultancies.

Britain’s vote to leave has added more choice. As part of a recent book proposal I had to produce a list of books published on UK-EU relations since the referendum, and I thought it would be helpful to publish that list here and try to update it regularly. I focus here on books and not the far too numerous reports or articles.

I list the books here in alphabetical order with no divisions based on quality, background or political slant. If I’ve missed a book then please email me the details via timloliver@gmail.com Also, please take a look at my regularly updated Brexicon: A Dictionary of Brexit, which is also summarised here.  

Some of these books are included in my Brexit summer reading guide on the LSE's Brexit Blog.  Note: the following are listed in alphabetical order based on the surname of the first author.

• D. Allen Green, Brexit: What Everyone Needs to Know. OUP, due to be published late 2017. Due out later this year, the book forms part of a wider 'What everyone needs to know' series. What you need to know is set out in the answers to 41 questions. 

• K. Armstrong, Brexit Time: Leaving the EU - why, how and when? Cambridge University Press, 2017, £17.99 (PB), £29.99 (HB), online access also available. Written by Kenneth Armstrong, professor of law at Cambridge University, its analysis is divided into four sections examining the world before the vote, the vote itself, preparing for Brexit, and Brexit itself. Comes with a very helpful online edition. 

• M. Ashcroft and K. Culwick, Well, You Did Ask…: Why the UK voted to leave the EU, Biteback, 2016, £9.99 (PB), £3.89 (Kindle). Looks at the available data on how and why the British people voted as they did. Published quickly, draws on a wide range of sources, not least that backed by Lord Ashcroft’s own polling, focuses on the campaign and polling, with little analysis of the future, history, or implications for the EU.

• D. Bailey and L. Budd, The Political Economy of Brexit, Agenda, 2017, £16.99 (PB), £16.99 (Kindle). An edited collection of academic analyses with a focus on political economy, but also some domestic political issues such as the unity of the UK, and the future of the EU. Ideal for postgraduate readers studying political economy and with an existing knowledge of the topic of UK-EU relations.

• A. Barnett, The Lure of Greatness: England’s Brexit and America’s Trump, Unbound, 2017, £20 (HB). Veteran campaigner for a more democratic Britain, Barnett identifies a range of causes of Brexit and especially the problems of the English (specifically non-London England) within the UK.

• O. Bennett, The Brexit Club, Biteback, 2016, £12.99 (PB), £7.91 (Kindle). A popular account of what happened inside the Leave campaigns.

• R. Bootle, Making a Success of Brexit and Reforming the EU, Hodder and Stoughton, 2017, £10.99. An update of Bootle’s The Trouble with Europe, it offers not only an analysis of Britain and Brexit but also where it leaves the EU.

• Cato the Younger, Guilty Men: Brexit Edition, Biteback, 2017, £10 (HB), £7.99 (eBook). Based on the 1940 book of the same name that destroyed the reputation of the men responsible for appeasement, this 2017 edition goes after the men - or 13 men and 2 women - guilty of causing Brexit and plunging Britain into a period of unnecessary risks that could end in calamity. Whether you voted Leave or Remain, it's difficult not to view Brexit Britain as a country of lions misled by donkeys. 

• H. Clarke, M. Goodwin and P. Whiteley, Brexit: Why Britain voted to leave the European Union, CUP, 2017, £49.99 (HB), £15.99 (PB). The most comprehensive analysis so far of the vote, with a focus on voting behaviour over time and giving some pointers as to where Brexit goes next. You can read my review of the book for the LSE's Brexit blog here.

• N. Clegg, How to Stop Brexit (and Make Britain Great Again), Vintage, 2017, £8.99 (PB). The former Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister takes aim at some of the myths of Brexit and sets out how it can be reversed.

• P. Clegg, Brexit and the Commonwealth. Routledge, 2018. £115 (HB). A welcome analysis of a topic on which much is said in political debates but where analysis is often lacking. 

• T.J. Coles, The Great Brexit Swindle: Why the mega-rich and free market fanatics conspired to force Britain from the EU, Clairview Books, 2016, £11.68 (PB), £6.47 (Kindle). A provocative book focusing on the neoliberal backers of Brexit and the deceitful way in which Leave supporters were drawn to an agenda that will not be fulfilled or benefit them.

• T. Connelly, Brexit and Ireland: The Dangers, the Opportunities and the Inside Story of the Irish Response. Penguin, 2017, £14.99. The best analysis available on the Irish perspectives on Brexit. 

• N. da Costa Cabral, J. Renato Gonçalves, and N. Cunha Rodrigues, After Brexit: Consequences for the European Union. Palgrave, 2017, £89.50 (eBook). Examines how Brexit might reshape the EU.
• N. Culkin and R. Simmons, Mastering Brexits Through The Ages: Entrepreneurial Innovators and Small Firms - The Catalysts for Success. Emerald, 2018. Kindle: £50.41.
• M. Dougan (ed.), The UK After Brexit: Legal and Policy Challenges. Intersentia, 2017. PB: £29. 

• P. Diamond, P. Nedergaard and Ben Rosamond, Routledge Handbook of the Politics of Brexit. Routledge, 2018, £175 (HB) £20 (eBook). An impressive line-up of leading academics offer their analysis on an equally impressive line-up of topics. 

• I. Dunt, Brexit: What the Hell happens now? Canbury Press, 2016, £5.59 (PB), £3.99 (Kindle). Written by a journalist in the immediate aftermath of the vote, it looks at the future giving a popular – but Remain leaning – account of what may unfold.
• R. Eaglestone, Brexit and Literature. Routledge, 2018. An analysis of Brexit as a cultural event and process. 

• G. Evans and A. Menon, Brexit and British Politics. Wiley, £12.99 (PB). Explains the outcome of the vote by looking at longer-term trends in British politics. 

• J. Farrell and P. Goldsmith, How to Lose A Referendum: The Definitive Story of Why the UK Voted for Brexit. Biteback, 2017, £20 (HB). An overview of the various reasons  (they identify eighteen key ones) for why Britain voted leave. The book looks back at the history of UK-EU relations along with analysis of the referendum campaign and contemporary UK politics.
• M. Finn, British Universities in the Brexit Moment: Political, Economic and Cultural Implications (Great Debates in Higher Education). Emerald, 2018. PB: £31.40

• G. Gibbon, Breaking Point: The UK referendum on the EU and its aftermath, Uni of Chicago Press, 2017, £13.00 (PB) £6.47 (Kindle). A short analysis by political editor of C4 News looking into what drove Brexit with some analysis of what it could mean for the rest of the EU. Strengths:

• A. Glencross, Why the UK voted for Brexit, Routledge Pivot series, 2016, £36.99 (HB), £24.69 (Kindle). A short academic analysis of the referendum divided into four sections covering the history of Euroscepticism, the renegotiation, the campaign, and the future handling of Brexit. It focuses on the nature of direct democracy in the UK and the nature of Euroscepticism.

• S. Green, Brexit and the British: Who do we think we are? University of Chicago Press, 2017, $16.95 (PB). A pamphlet that delves into the divisions in British society to find answers to why Britain voted as it did.

• E. Guild, Brexit and its Consequences for UK and EU Citizenship or Monstrous Citizenship, Brill, 2017, €54 (HB). A detailed analysis of the potential implications of Brexit for citizenship.

• L. Halligan and G. Lyons, Clean Brexit: Why leaving the EU still makes sense – Building a post-Brexit economy for all, Biteback, 2017, £20 (HB). Offers a positive case for Brexit that addresses many of the concerns raised in the debate since he vote to leave.

• D. Hannan, What Next: How to get the best from Brexit, Head of Zeus, 2016, £9.99 (PB), £3.69 (Kindle). Written by longstanding Eurosceptic Dan Hannan, it offers a Leavers analysis of where Britain and UK-EU relations can go next with a focus on the nature of UK democracy.

• F. Harrison and M. Gaffney, Beyond Brexit: The blueprint, Land Research Trust, 2016, £8.00 (PB). Looks at Brexit from the perspective of taxation (especially land taxes) and political economy, arguing for reform of both to enable a post-Brexit Britain to succeed.

• G. Hassan and R. Gunson (eds.), Scotland and the UK After Brexit. A Guide to the future. Luath Press, 2017, £12.99 (PB). An edited volume covering a wide range of issues connected to the future of Scotland, the UK and Brexit.

• J. Hillman and G. Horlick (Eds.), Legal Aspects of Brexit: Implications of the United Kingdom’s decision to withdraw from the EU, Institute of International Economic Law, 2017. An edited overview of a wide range of legal issues, covering such matters as trade negotiations through to the implications for the English Premier League.

• D. Kauders, Understanding Brexit Options: What future for Britain? Sparkling books, 2016, £11.99 (PB), £2.37 (Kindle). A short book, written around the time of the vote and in a non-academic way, describing the various options facing the UK on leaving the EU. Backed remaining in the EU.

• M. Kelly, Languages after Brexit: How the UK speaks to the World. Palgrave, 2017, £17.99 (eBook). An examination and discussion of the language skills and needs of the British as they face a post-Brexit world. 

• L. McGowan, Preparing for Brexit: Actors,Negotiators and Consequences, Palgrave, 2017, £35.99 (eBook). Looks at the way the Brexit negotiations have unfolded since the referendum to the summer of 2017.

• D. MacShane, Brexit: How Britain will leave the EU, I.B.Tauris, 2016, £8.99 (PB), £8.54 (Kindle). A readable, provocative analysis written before the referendum looking at the reasons why Britain was likely to vote leave.

• D. MacShane, Brexit: Why (in the End) Britain Won’t Leave Europe, I.B.Tauris, 2017, £6.99 (PB). A follow-up to the 2016 book, but with a focus on the limits of Brexit.

• P. Mindus, European Citizenship after Brexit: Freedom of Movement and Rights of Residence. 2017, Palgrave, £20 (HB). An in-depth analysis of the many questions Brexit has posed about European citizenship.

• J. Montague and J. Pick, The Brexit Years: a handbook for survivors, ATWP, 2017, £10.95 (PB), £4.99 (Kindle). A short attempt at a satirical analysis of the referendum and its outcome.

• J. Morgan and H. Patomaki, Brexit and the Political Economy of Fragmentation, Routledge, 2018, £92 (HB). Looks at the effects of Brexit on a range of areas such as neoliberalism through to developing countries. 

• J. Morphet, Beyond Brexit: How to assess the UK’s future, Policy Press, 2017, £9.99 (PB), £8.39 (Kindle). A detailed academic analysis focused on the potential implications of Brexit across a wide range of institutions and policy areas.

• M. Mosbacher and O. Wiseman, Brexit revolt: How the UK voted to leave the EU, New Culture forum, 2016, £10 (PB), £4.99 (Kindle) A short contemporary history written by Eurosceptics explaining how the Leave campaign won.

• H. Mount, Summer Madness: How Brexit split the Tories, destroyed Labour and divided the country, Biteback, 2016, £12.99 (PB), £7.47 (Kindle). A quickly published insider account of the campaign.

• C. Oliver, Unleashing Demons: The inside story of Brexit, Hodder and Stoughton, 2016, £20 (HB), £9.99 (PB), £20 (Kindle). An insider’s account by Cameron’s Communications Director of what happened during the campaign. One of the best insiders accounts.

• T. Oliver, Europe's Brexit: EU Perspectives on Britain’s Vote to Leave, Agenda, 2018. Through chapters written by authors from across the rest of the EU, the book examines how the rest of the EU responded to the UK's renegotiation, referendum campaign and the result of the vote up to when Theresa May triggered Article 50.

• T. Oliver, Understanding Brexit: A Concise Introduction, Policy Press, 2018, £19.99 (PB). Offers a broadranging but concise introduction to Brexit by looking at the past, present and future of UK-EU relations and what they might mean for the UK, the EU and globally. 

• W. Outhwaite, Brexit: Sociological Responses, Anthem Press, 2017, £70 (HB), £32.27 (PB), £29.39 (Kindle). An edited academic analysis of a wide range of issues connected to Brexit. Comprehensive in coverage, academic in analysis.

• D. Owen and D. Ludlow, British Foreign Policy After Brexit, Biteback, July 2017, £12.99. Looks at the way forward for UK foreign policy.
• Anthony Ridge-Newman, Fernando León-Solis and Hugh O’Donnell (eds.), Reporting the Road to Brexit: International Media and the EU Referendum 2016, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018. HB: £114. 

• D. Ramiro Troitiño, T. Kerikmäe, A. Chochia (eds.) Brexit: History, Reasoning and Perspectives. €145.59 (HB) €118.88 (eBook). A good overview of many aspects of Brexit.

• T. Shipman, All Out War: The full story of how Brexit sank Britain’s political class, William Collins, 2016, £25 (HB), £9.99 (PB), £25 (Kindle). A popular account of both the Remain and Leave campaigns. Another good insiders account.

• T. Shipman, Fall Out: A Year of Political Mayhem, HarperCollins, 2017, £25 (HB). Having written All Out War, Shipman took up his pen to write the story of Theresa May’s premiership from its beginning, just after the referendum, to the general election result that deprived her – and her plans for Brexit – of a majority in the House of Commons.

• J. Smith, The UK's journey into and out of the EU: Destinations Unknown. Routledge, 2017, £48.99 (HB), £10.50 (eBook). An overview of Britain's European journey written by Julie Smith, member of the House of Lords and Director of the European Centre at Cambridge University. 

• U. Staiger and B. Martill, Brexit and Beyond: Rethinking the Futures of Europe. UCL, 2018, £35 (HB). Offers an analysis of how Brexit fits into a changing EU. 

• P. Welfens, An Accidental Brexit: New EU and Transatlantic Perspectives. Palgrave, 2017, £18.99 (eBook). Takes a close look at what Brexit could mean for the economies and economic links binding the UK, EU and US together. 

• P. Whyman and A. Petrescu, The Economics of Brexit: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the UK's Economic Relationship with the EU. Palgrave, 2017. £14.99 (eBook). Provides a cost-benefit analysis of the economic, social and political effect of Brexit on Britain, the EU and the rest of the world. 

Updated: 29 June 2018. 

Events at SAIS Bologna and with Monash University

Things have been quiet on the blog for the past month because I'm finishing two projects. Two quick updates on speaking engagements from the past week.

Last week I spoke to Chris Hill's course on 'UK foreign policy in the context of Brexit' that he's running at SAIS's Bologna campus. Thanks to Chris and his students for an enjoyable class and an equally enjoyable dinner afterwards. 

Later in the week I joined a panel at EUI with Anna Triandafyllidou and Paul McDonugh where we spoke to students from Monash University, Australia, about the EU. Thanks to Ben Wellings for setting it up.