Malcolm Rifkind at Lewes Speakers' Festival

Politics and Pragmatism: The Memoirs of Malcolm Rifkind

Sir Malcolm Rifkind's political career has been glittering and long-lived. He served as a Minister for 18 years which is longer uninterrupted service than anyone since Lord Palmerston in the 19th Century. Informed, stimulating and amusing, Rifkind relates his battles with Margaret Thatcher over Scotland, explains how he helped change Polish history during the Cold War, describes his presence at the Gorbachev-Thatcher summit and tells how he served as both Defence Minister and Foreign Secretary during some of the most turbulent years of the late 20th century. He also covers Rifkind's 5 pivotal years as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, working with MI6, the CIA and both spies and those spied upon. For his robustness, he is currently banned from Russia by President Putin. Rifkind's memoir is serious and funny, wise and self-deprecatory.

A Q&A session will follow.

Tickets are available here.