Dead on time / Meghnad Desai.

Novel.

For the Right Honourable Harry White, Britain's charismatic and politically savvy prime minister, it is a busy day like any other at 10 Downing Street. Every minute is packed with politics, people and policies, and the odd flirtation. There is a peremptory invitation to lunch with megalomaniac media lord Matt Drummond, a parliamentary rebellion to be batted away, an urgent call from the White House about a crisis in the Middle East. Until, finally, Harry White and his entourage are ready to fly to Glasgow for the last item on their schedule: the Old Firm game between Rangers and Celtic, the traditional Scottish rivals. It is a game that Harry has little interest in, but there are at least two men who have waited many years for exactly this moment. Will they be able to realize their plans? Will blood flow between the Catholic and Protestant fans as their teams battle for supremacy on the ground? Will the day end well for Harry White and his new conquest Sarah? Or will the events of this single day transform the political face of England for ever? An unexpected first novel by the well-known economist and political commentator, Dead on Time is a delightful mix of action, humour and realpolitik. The author brilliantly renders recognizable characters and situations in a manner that blurs fact and fiction to give us a racy behind-the-scenes take on politics and politicians, journalists and media planners, and all those who shape the way we perceive the world today.