Alex Andreou

The relationship between Germany and Russia is Europe’s most important link with the largest country on the continent. But despite Germany’s unparalleled knowledge and historical experience, its policymakers struggle to accept that Moscow’s efforts to rebalance Europe at the cost of the cohesion of the EU and NATO are an attack on Germany’s core interests. This book explains the scale of the challenge facing Germany in managing relations with a changing Russia. It analyses how successive German governments from 1991 to 2014 misread Russian intentions, until Angela Merkel sharply recalibrated German and EU policy towards Moscow. The book also examines what lies behind efforts to revise Merkel’s bold policy shift, including attitudes inherited from the GDR and the role of Russian influence channels in Germany.

When the Treasury lost control of interest rates to the Bank of England in 1997, its status looked under threat. However, it quickly reasserted its power by dominating policymaking across Whitehall and diminishing other ministries in the process. It also successfully fought off attempts by Prime Ministers, from Blair to Johnson, to cut it down to size. In this fascinating insider account, based on in-depth interviews with the Chancellors and key senior officials, Howard Davies shows how the past twenty-five years have nonetheless been a roller-coaster ride for the Treasury. Heavily criticized for its response to the global financial crisis, and for the rigours of the austerity programme, it also ran into political controversy through its role in the Scottish referendum and the Brexit debate. The Treasury’s dire predictions of the impact of Brexit have not been borne out. Redemption of a kind, though a costly one, came from its muscular response to the COVID crisis. Anyone with an interest in economic policymaking, in the UK and elsewhere, will find this a valuable and entertaining account.

'A tense and gripping account of the unfolding pandemic from a doctor who was there. The bravery and dedication of NHS staff are extraordinary, the looming dangers vividly described. I found it hard to put down' Dr Rachel Clarke, Sunday Times bestselling author of Dear Life and Your Life in My Hands 'Gripping, humane, eye-opening and seriously tense. Public interest journalism which reads like a thriller novel' Ian Dunt, Editor, Politics.co.uk ALL ROYALTIES FROM SALES GO TO HEROES, A CHARITY PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING HEALTHCARE WORKERS. The first book to tell the full story of the Covid-19 pandemic, from an NHS doctor working inside hospitals to save lives and combat the virus on the front line. 'We weren't prepared, we weren't listened to, but together we fought it.' On the 8th of February, Dr Dominic Pimenta encountered his first suspected case of coronavirus. Within a week, he began wearing a mask on the tube, and within a month, he was moved over to the Intensive Care Unit to help fight the virus. Duty of Care is the first book to tell the full story of the Covid-19 pandemic from someone on the frontline, working in one of the NHS's hardest hit areas. From the initial whispers coming out of China and the collective hesitation to class this as a pandemic to full lockdown and the continued battle to treat whoever came through the doors, Dr Pimenta tells the heroic stories of how the entire system shifted to tackle this outbreak and how, ultimately, the staff managed to save lives. This incredible account captures the shock and surprise, the panic and power of an unprecedented time, and how, at this time of crisis and despair, he saw human generosity and kindness prevail. Note: in order to preserve the absolute confidentiality of the patients in this book, certain details, names and places have been changed or merged where necessary.