A Very English Scandal Book Summary - A Very English Scandal Book explained in key points

Listen to the Intro

00:00

A Very English Scandal summary

Name: A Very English Scandal
Rating: 3.9 (48 reviews)
Author: John Preston

John Preston

Sex, Lies and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment

3.9 (48 ratings)

13 mins

Topics

Media

Table of Contents

A Very English Scandal
Summary of 6 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 6

What’s in it for me? Learn how the British Establishment got away with (attempted) murder.

According to many British politicians, the country’s judicial system is the envy of the world. Its strength, they claim, is its fairness. Whether a lord or commoner, a person will receive the same treatment before the court. After all, English courts even tried and convicted a ruling monarch!

But is this claim of fairness true? These blinks show you that the British judicial system is not as impartial as many claim it to be.

The story of Jeremy Thorpe, a Liberal Party politician educated at both Eton and Oxford, is a telling tale. In these blinks, you’ll find out how through Thorpe’s connections with the “Establishment,” or British elite, he was able to dodge accusations of attempted murder.

In these blinks, you’ll discover

how money donated for “electoral reform” was used for murder;
why police changed a statement from a key witness; and
which other crimes the Establishment have tried to cover up.

Jeremy Thorpe was a powerful yet arrogant politician with a secret: he was a closeted homosexual.

British politician Jeremy Thorpe was a man whose charm and cunning helped him climb the ranks of the elite. Leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 to 1976, he had a spotless public image.

But he also had a secret.

Thorpe was homosexual, a fact he kept hidden for fear of damaging his political career.

Yet Thorpe was also reckless when it came to his affairs. Many felt Thorpe was an arrogant man; Thorpe certainly knew that with his charm and the help of influential friends, he could escape any sticky situation.

One particular relationship, however, changed this.

In the early 1960s, Thorpe met a young and emotionally unstable man named Norman Scott. The two made their acquaintance through one of Thorpe’s friends who was Scott’s employer at the time.

Thorpe took a shine to the young dressage rider and suggested that Scott get in touch with him should he ever need a “favor.”

Scott was unaware of the politician’s real intentions. Shortly after their meeting, Thorpe initiated a sexual relationship that Scott claims at first wasn’t consensual, saying that Thorpe raped him during their first sexual encounter.

Scott later moved to Ireland but kept in touch with Thorpe. He was determined to have Thorpe help him in securing a National Insurance card, which he needed to get a job.

Gradually Scott’s obsession turned into behavior that threatened to expose Thorpe. As Scott traveled, he would share stories of his affair with the prominent politician. Homosexuality was still illegal at the time, and, desperate and depressed, Scott went so far as to show the police letters Thorpe had sent him. At one point, Scott even contacted Thorpe’s mother, asking her for money.

Feeling threatened, Thorpe realized he needed outside help to keep Scott’s mouth shut about their relationship.

Two of Thorpe’s loyal friends agreed to help the politician sort out his sordid affair with Scott.

All too aware of the risks Scott’s loose mouth posed to his political career, Thorpe called on two loyal friends – David Holmes and Peter Bessell – to help him figure out what to do.

Holmes was openly homosexual and a close friend of Thorpe’s since their student years at Oxford. Bessell was a member of Parliament with the Liberal Party as well as a failing businessman known for his love of gossip. While it’s unknown whether Holmes and Thorpe had ever had a relationship, they were said to have shared sexual partners. Either way, Holmes was unwaveringly loyal to Thorpe.

Funds intended for a political campaign were used to hire Scott’s assassin.

By this time, Thorpe had been elected as the leader of the Liberal Party. He’d made many sacrifices to get to the top and refused to let his affair with Scott ruin his career.

In 1975, Thorpe asked for a donation of £17,000 from Jack Hayward to help fund his “lobby for electoral reform.” Thorpe requested that £10,000 of the total £17,000 be deposited into an account separate from the official Liberal Party account.

After the botched assassination, Thorpe was called to court to stand trial for attempted murder.

In 1979, Thorpe became the first and only member of Parliament to stand trial for attempted murder in British history.

The undeniable links between Holmes and Newton were certainly incriminating. When Bessel also agreed to give testimony against Thorpe, the politician could no longer avoid criminal charges.

The British Establishment may have had a hand in securing Thorpe’s freedom.

While Carman fought ferociously in the courtroom, other forces behind the scenes were at work to ensure Thorpe didn’t end up behind bars.

A friend of Thorpe’s named Lord Elwyn-Jones chose the judge for the criminal trial. The judge in question was Joseph Cantley, a man rumored to have abstained from sex up until the age of 56. Chaste and puritanical, Judge Cantley could hardly imagine that a well-to-do political figure such as Thorpe would ever be involved in such a sordid affair.

The Thorpe case is just one example of the British Establishment putting reputation over justice.

Authorities have worked furiously for decades to mask and minimize the blunders and potential crimes of politicians.

One example is the case of Cyril Smith. Smith was a former Liberal member of Parliament and, as was revealed after his death, a serial child molester. In 2014, it was discovered that there were over 114 complaints against Smith from boys as young as eight.

Want to see all full key ideas from A Very English Scandal?

Key ideas in A Very English Scandal

More knowledge in less time

Read or listen

Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.

Find your next read

Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.

Shortcasts ^New

We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

What is A Very English Scandal about?

A Very English Scandal (2016) tells the story of former British politician Jeremy Thorpe’s affair with Norman Scott. From a botched assassination to a biased murder trial, the story of this scandal shines a harsh light on the petty yet powerful relationships within the British Establishment and how those ties work to silence justice and protect reputations.

Who should read A Very English Scandal?

Readers fascinated by political scandals
Students curious about British insider politics
Those fascinated by major media events

About the Author

John Preston is the former arts editor for newspapers the Evening Standard and the Sunday Telegraph. For ten years he was the Sunday Telegraph’s television critic. He published a novel, The Dig, in 2007.

Categories with A Very English Scandal

Politics History

Books like A Very English Scandal

The Run of His Life

Jeffrey Toobin

The People Versus O. J. Simpson

15 min

Poverty Safari

Darren McGarvey

Understanding the Anger of Britain’s Underclass

The Clintons vs. the Obamas

12 min

3.4

The Devil in the White City

Erik Larson

Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America

11 min

3.8

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

Mark Manson

A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

22 min

4.3

Why We Get the Wrong Politicians

Isabel Hardman

A quick tour of British politics

24 min

4.4

Every Man's Battle

Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker with Mike Yorkey

Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time

An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

A New Theory of Intelligence

20 min

4.7

How to Be Your Own Therapist

Owen O'Kane

Boost Your Mood and Reduce Your Anxiety in 10 Minutes a Day

19 min

4.4

The Obstacle is the Way

Ryan Holiday

The Timeless Art of Turning Trials Into Triumph

The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal

Be a Kickass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity

29 min

4.6

The 48 Laws of Power (New Version)

Robert Greene

The secret methods to getting what you want

The Secrets to Living Your Longest, Healthiest Life

A Critique of Political Economy

The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway

21 min

Body Kindness

Rebecca Scritchfield

Transform Your Health From the Inside Out – and Never Say Diet Again

Burn Fat, Heal Inflammation, and Eat Like the High-Performing Human You Were Meant to Be

Architect of American Ambition

17 min

4.6

Myanmar's Enemy Within

Francis Wade

Buddhist Violence and the Making of a Muslim “Other”

28 min

4.4

Killing the Mob

Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

The Fight Against Organized Crime in America

22 min

4.5

Search Inside Yourself

Chade-Meng Tan

The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace)

Adam and Eve’s Disobedience and the Battle Between Satan and God

22 min

4.4

The Man's Guide to Women

John Gottman

Scientifically Proven Secrets from the "Love Lab" About What Women Really Want

Timeless Stoic and Buddhist philosophy

Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers

The Jaw-dropping Tragedy That Shocked Ancient Greece

20 min

4.4

Outsider in the White House

Bernie Sanders with Huck Gutman

The political autobiography of the insurgent presidential candidate

Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution

The Hidden Driver of Excellence

26 min

4.3

The Resilient Founder

Mahendra Ramsinghani

Lessons in Endurance from Startup Entrepreneurs

11 min

Siddhartha

Hermann Hesse

Rediscover the Meaning of Life With This Classic

21 min

4.6

12 Months to $1 Million

Ryan Daniel Moran

How to Pick a Winning Product, Build a Real Business, and Become a Seven-Figure Entrepreneur

The Story Behind Shoe Dog

12 min

4.2

Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing

Robert T. Kiyosaki

What the Rich Invest in, That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

18 min

4.3

Innovation in Real Places

Dan Breznitz

Strategies for Prosperity in an Unforgiving World

Helping Kids Develop Healthy Sexuality in a Porn-Driven World

A Financial History of the World

A Political Satire on the Corrupting Influence of Power

English And How It Got That Way

15 min

4.5

How to Be an Adult in Relationships

David Richo

The Five Keys to Mindful Loving

26 min

4.5

The Man Without A Face

Masha Gessen

The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin

A Tale of Morality, Betrayal and The Dark Secrets of Puritanism

13 min

Hooked

Nir Eyal

How to Build Habit-Forming Products

How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World

The Science of Self-Healing - A Practical Guide

Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

22 min

4.5

The Brothers Karamazov

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

A Tragic Murder Mystery on the Burden of Free Will and Morality

23 min

4.9

People ❤️ Blinkist

Sven O.

It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

Thi Viet Quynh N.

Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

Jonathan A.

Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

Renee D.

Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.