Michael Gove and Ed Vaizey were leading the government’s representation at the launch party last night for Iain Martin’s book Making It Happen: Fred Goodwin, RBS and the men who blew up the British economy. David Davis and Liam Fox were also leading the laughter at the Travellers Club as Martin explained that many tried to warn him against writing his study of the financial crisis. Not only because he was about to upset some very rich people but also from a future sales point of view as apparently ‘by then the economy would have been sorted out.’
That was not the only problem along the way either, as the publisher revealed:
‘The real concerns were with the cover; despite his role as the lead protagonist, it was universally agreed quite early on, without much market research, that a photo of Fred Goodwin on the cover was not going to shift very many books.’
Martin went on to explain that his book is ‘not just about Fred Goodwin, I conclude it is far too easy to say it was all the fault of one man, there are many people who a culpable.’ And with comic timing, at that very moment, in walked Alistair Darling, who promptly took a large swig of wine when the author continued ‘for some strange reason the name Gordon Brown is popping into my head. Great man.’
I thought Darling was going to drain his glass at one point.
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