Alan Johnson: Left Standing
By Nigel Cawthorne
Alan Johnson is believed by many to be the best party leader Labour never had. But he is also a man of the people – one of those few politicians who can strike a chord with ordinary people. From humble origins, he climbed to the top of the establishment, yet never lost touch with his roots. Elected to parliament in 1997, he has served as Home Secretary, Health Secretary, Education Secretary and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. Johnson left school at fifteen, became a postman and worked his way up through the Union of Communication Workers to become its General Secretary, before becoming an MP. He is old-school Labour with a genuine working-class background. Many politicians and pundits regard him as the Labour leader – or even Prime Minister – in waiting. This concise biography follows Alan Johnson’s formative years growing up poor in south London, through to his influential involvement in the Labour Party.