The Dark Knight and the Puppet Master

''A splendid critique'' James O''Brien, Times Literary Supplement

''Richly nuanced, the most stimulating book I have read on Labour in ages'' Martin Kettle, Guardian

''A brilliant book ... a reading of left-wing politics that suggests a road ahead'' Independent

A ''dark knight'' conflict between good and evil; control by elite puppet masters; nostalgia for a golden age: these are the core myths of populism. And these narratives, argues Chris Clarke, have seduced the Left in Britain, causing bitter division and electoral disaster. Only by breaking this narrative spell and moving towards pluralism can Labour hope to fix itself - and to one day hold power again.

Previously published by Rowman & Littlefield and Policy Network under the title Warring Fictions