Biteback Publishing has acquired a unique insider’s guide to the 2016 Brexit referendum, written by the key strategist behind the Vote Leave campaign, Matthew Elliott. Ten Years On: The Untold Story of Brexit – Reflections on a life of campaigning takes the reader behind the scenes of the most significant episode in modern British politics, revealing what really went on during the campaign and its bitter aftermath.
The 2016 Brexit referendum caused a political earthquake, with aftershocks still being felt a decade later. For many, including some who voted to leave, the result came as a shock. But for Matthew Elliott, it was the culmination of two decades of work.
Elliott is one of Britain’s most successful political campaigners – a reserved and strategic operator. In his twenties, he launched a movement to challenge wasteful public spending and advocate for lower taxes. He then played a central role in defeating an attempt to change the UK’s voting system in 2011, before steering the Vote Leave campaign to victory in 2016 as its chief executive.
In this extraordinary political memoir, Elliott lifts the lid on life at the heart of power. He reveals what it was like working alongside Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings, their dealings with Nigel Farage and the tricks of the trade that campaigners use to shape the news.
Here, a decade after the EU referendum, is a definitive, tell-all account of Brexit: from its roots in the 1990s to the high-stakes drama of the campaign itself, the fallout that followed and the crucial decisions that will shape Britain’s future relationship with Europe.
Matthew Elliott said: ‘Ten years on from the referendum, with the fog of the Brexit battle having cleared, and with six years’ experience of living outside the EU, I felt it was now time to share my Brexit journey and to make an early assessment of its success. I’m delighted that Biteback are publishing my second book with them, and I hope that readers of all political persuasions will enjoy my candid perspective of where the UK now stands with the EU and – crucially – how we got here.’
Richard Humphreys, commercial director at Biteback Publishing, said: ‘Love it or loathe it, the Brexit referendum was the single most important political event since the Second World War. Widely regarded as one of the most effective political strategists around, Lord Elliott’s account of his time as one of the key players in the Brexit campaign team is a must-read for anyone interested in politics, history and the tricks of the trade that campaigners use to shape the news.’
Ten Years On: The Untold Story of Brexit will be published on 23 June 2026, supported by a major serialisation campaign.