Chance Encounters by Tim Razzall
"I met Frank Sinatra through Robert Maxwell. That's if you can be said to have met someone who was on a private jet with you for fourteen hours and never spoke to you." So begins Chance Encounters, a charming insight into the extraordinary people, places and politics experienced in one varied and fascinating life. Over the last fifty years, Tim Razzall has forged successful careers in law, business and politics, rising to become both a CBE and a life peer. From his time representing the biggest names in rock music to his sortie among the big hitters of the City takeover mania in the 1980's, Razzall has rubbed shoulders with the Beatles, Bill Clinton and Bertrand Russell, among many, many others. Throughout all this, he has had a key role in the rise of the Liberal Democrats from fringe party to partner in government. As an adviser to Paddy Ashdown, Razzall was a major player in the Lib Dems' covert relationship with Tony Blair. As party treasurer for twelve years, he had a front-row view of the pleasures and perils of political fundraising.Having been an adviser to Charles Kennedy - and best man at his wedding - Razzall divulges frank details of the problems that led to the former leader's resignation, as well as speaking candidly and astutely about the personalities in the House of Lords. No traditional, dry autobiography, Chance Encounters is a brisk, high-spirited romp through the worlds of business, entertainment and politics, dispensing insight and humour in equal measure.
"After a quarter of a century as a Lib Dem power broker, Tim Razzall knows where the bodies are buried" Nick Robinson "Tim Razzall's experiences involve law, business, sport and politics at the top level. Few politicians have led such a fascinating life." Lord Alliance "An account of Razzall's entertaining life outside politics - great fun to read about, full of name-dropping of the famous and tinged with sadness - It all makes for an enjoyable read, as the eclectic mix of names in the index - from Mohammad Azharuddin through to Sandi Toksvig and Bill Clinton - demonstrates." Mark Pack "An amiable book that doesn't seek to settle scores." Liberator
Tim Razzall was born in 1943 into a political family, his father being a Liberal candidate in the 1945 general election. Razzall quali fied as a solicitor in 1969 and worked for Frere Cholmeley, becoming a partner in 1973. The following year he moved into politics, contesting the Mortlake ward in Richmond, which he won and held for the next twenty-four years. Razzall later went on to become the joint treasurer of the Liberal Party and then of the newly merged Liberal Democrats. He was also president of the Liberal Democrat Councillors in the '90 s, playing a crucial role in both of the decade's general elections. Despite being chosen as European Lawyer of the Year, Razzall left the law to set up his own business advice company, Argonaut Associates. He was appointed CBE in 1993, made a life peer in 1997, and is now co-chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee on Treasury matters.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781849547536 |
| ISBN 10 | 184954753X |
| Title | Chance Encounters |
| Author | Tim Razzall |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Biteback Publishing |
| Year published | 2014-10-07 |
| Number of pages | 320 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |