A cool-headed contribution to this often emotional debate

Sunday Business Post

An eloquent, forensic examination of resurgent English nationalism as the force that has driven Brexit and may now break up the United Kingdom

- Jonathan Coe,

In the coming years, many people will be writing about the end of the UK. They'll all quote this wonderful and curiously moving book. I know I will

- James Hawes, author of The Shortest History of England,

A former BBC journalist, [Esler] has travelled round the UK as intensively as anyone, and he is deeply worried about what he sees as the collapse of the British idea and the emergence of English nationalism. As Esler sees it, the unruly, destructive force of English nationalism now threatens to break the United Kingdom, heralding, as his subtitle has it, the 'rebirth of four nations'... The present government has no zest for genuine reinvention, because it refuses to recognise that there is anything much to worry about. And as Esler insists, recognition is the necessary first step to reform'

- Ferdinand Mount, Financial Times,

Gavin Esler takes a sober, measured look at the forces threatening to tear apart the four nations

Choice Magazine

Both timely and provocative

Sunday Times

His book is intelligent, interesting... This is a good book and a valuable one'

Scotsman

A consistently thought-provoking and well-argued book, and yet the more I read it, the more I wondered about English nationalism

Books from Scotland

Timely and incisive... Gavin Esler dispels the myth that delivering a Brexit deal, or no deal, would being an 'end' to Brexit'

- Francis Grove White, People's Vote Campaign,

Everything a good Remainer needs to persuade the Brexiters, punchy, pithy and short

- Polly Toynbee,

If you want a pithy, sober, clear-headed summary of what Brexit is actually likely to look like, Gavin Esler's new book is spot on. Such a welcome antidote to all the whipped-up sentiment – calm, factual, rigorous

- Dr Rachel Clarke,

A brilliant demolition of the lies and liars that created the Brexit mess. Should be required reading at his old stamping ground, the BBC

- Alastair Campbell,

Witty, informed, smart – the best-written polemic I've read in some time

Glasgow Herald

An important book... [Esler] writes a clear, stimulating description of our position following our departure from the European Union'

Kent Bylines