The Brexit Club

The Brexit Club provides an inside account of the 2016 EU referendum campaign in Britain. The book follows key figures and organizations that advocated for the UK to leave the European Union. Owen Bennett gained unique access to the main Vote Leave and Leave.EU campaign groups during this historic period. His reporting covers strategy meetings, internal debates, and the personalities who shaped the messaging that reached British voters. The narrative tracks the leave campaign from its early days through the final vote, documenting the rivalries between different Brexit-supporting factions. The book captures the atmosphere and decision-making during crucial moments of the referendum battle. The Brexit Club serves as both a political chronicle and an examination of how grassroots movements can impact national policy. Bennett's account raises questions about the nature of modern political campaigns and the role of populist messaging in democratic decisions.

Most readers find this behind-the-scenes account of the Brexit campaign informative but note it focuses more on procedural details than analysis. The book covers multiple Leave campaign groups and their infighting. Readers appreciated: - Detailed insider access to campaign meetings and strategy sessions - Clear explanations of the relationships between different Leave organizations - Neutral tone that avoids taking sides Common criticisms: - Too much focus on tactical minutiae rather than broader implications - Lacks depth on the motivations of key figures - Structure can feel scattered with many jumps between timelines Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (14 ratings) Amazon UK: 4.1/5 (12 reviews) Notable reader comments: "Thorough documentation of the campaign mechanics but misses the bigger picture" - Goodreads reviewer "Useful historical record but doesn't fully explain why things happened as they did" - Amazon UK review

All Out War by Tim Shipman A chronicle of the Brexit referendum campaign's behind-the-scenes power struggles and political maneuvers from 2015 to 2016.

The Bad Boys of Brexit by Arron Banks A first-hand account from UKIP's major donor about the Leave.EU campaign's operations during the Brexit referendum.

Brexit: Why Britain Voted to Leave the European Union by Harold D. Clarke, Matthew Goodwin, and Paul Whiteley An analysis of polling data and voter behavior reveals the social and economic factors that led to Britain's decision to leave the EU.

The British General Election of 2015 by Philip Cowley, Dennis Kavanagh A detailed examination of the election that set the stage for the Brexit referendum and transformed British politics.

Unleashing Demons: The Inside Story of Brexit by Craig Oliver David Cameron's former communications director presents the Brexit campaign from inside 10 Downing Street.

🗳️ The book provides behind-the-scenes access to both major Leave campaigns during Brexit - Vote Leave and Leave.EU - revealing the intense rivalry and infighting between them. 📚 Owen Bennett worked as Deputy Political Editor at the Huffington Post UK during the Brexit campaign, giving him unique insider access to key political figures. 🇪🇺 The book details how UKIP's Nigel Farage was deliberately sidelined by the official Vote Leave campaign, who feared his controversial image would harm their chances of victory. ⚔️ The "club" in the title refers to the exclusive group of Conservative MPs who secretly met at the Tate Britain art gallery to plan their Brexit strategy before going public. 📅 Published in 2016 just weeks after the referendum result, this was one of the first comprehensive accounts of how the Leave campaigns operated during the historic vote.