On Thursday 4th July, the UK will hold its first general election since December 2019.
A range of issues, from taxes and the economy, to climate, immigration, and even artificial intelligence, have shaped the debates, headlines, and party commitments in the run-up to polling day.
Whether you’re looking to broaden your horizons, better understand the leading topics of discussion, or deepen your knowledge of the issues that matter to you, we’ve rounded up some of the most relevant and informative reads to help you navigate the upcoming general election.
However, participating in democracy extends beyond the pages of a book. Head straight to the end of this article for free resources to help you get ready to vote, fact-check news stories and party manifestos, look up the candidates standing for election in your area, and more.
Inflation, cost of living, and the economy
Finance columnist Rob Dix demystifies global economics and how it relates to our personal finances. Want to understand how money works, why your bills are going up, and how to make better financial decisions? Look no further than this accessible, readable book.
From growth to taxation to social mobility, award-winning economists Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo draw from cutting-edge research to present a unique, innovative, and compassionate approach to solving some of the biggest issues plaguing our polarised world.
What is economics and how does it affect our daily lives? Professor Ha-Joon Chang, acclaimed author of 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism
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Housing and transport
As relevant and urgent as when it was published 10 years ago, this book by geography professor Danny Dorling takes aim at the inequalities that underpin our current housing crisis, from homelessness, to rising house prices, to the precarity of “generation rent”.
From innovation to privatisation, journalist and transport commentator Christian Wolmar charts the story of the post-war railway company that was state-owned for some 50 years. More than a history book, British Rail is a primer for understanding public transport in the UK today.
Climate
At just 16, Greta Thunberg told the UN Climate Action Summit: “You are failing us”. No One is Too Small to Make a Difference is a collection of her most inspiring speeches holding power to account, sure to galvanise anyone in the fight against climate change.
Free-market capitalism has shaped today's world, but it is also aiding the destruction of our planet and deepening social and economic inequalities. In this compelling, informative read, Harvard professor Rebecca Henderson makes the moral and business case for businesses that balance profit with positive impact.
From biodiversity to air pollution, ocean plastics to panic about overpopulation, data scientist Hannah Ritchie looks at the big picture of the most discussed environmental issues of the day to offer a hopeful, pragmatic vision for the future of sustainability.
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Health and the NHS
It’s woven into the fabric of British society and politics, but how much do we really know about the NHS? Through gripping, human storytelling and cogent analysis, journalist Isabel Hardman takes us into the heart of this revered and complex institution.
This moving, eye-opening audiobook transports us to the front lines of the fight against Covid-19 to tell the inside story of how Bradford Royal Infirmary, one of the nation’s busiest hospitals, prepared for and navigated the pandemic in real time.
Economic and social inequality
In this ground-breaking book, pioneering researchers David Stuckler and Sanjay Basu examine the human health cost of the 2008 global financial crisis and the austerity measures that followed, proposing a radical alternative response with social protection and fairness at its heart.
World-renowned development economist Paul Collier has spent his life working in neglected communities. In Left Behind , he examines why some countries and regions fail, and proposes a new vision for how they can catch up and prosper.
Veteran news broadcaster Jon Snow traces how the life of our nation has changed over the course of his five-decade career, arguing that inequality – and an unwillingness to deal with it – lies at the heart of many of our greatest and most enduring societal problems.
Social commentator and campaigner Darren McGarvey shines a light on the scale of poverty in modern Britain and argues that the current political class, with lives so distant from the lived experience of the poor, is ill-equipped to bring about change.
Immigration
For years, the refugee crisis has shaped politics – both on the world stage and closer to home. Professors Paul Collier and Alexander Betts go beyond the harrowing headlines to offer a practical, hopeful, and humane approach to fixing a broken system.
In The Good Immigrant , editor Nikesh Shukla brings together 21 voices of people of colour to share their experiences of living in the UK. Now in audiobook format, and narrated by the authors themselves, these stories feel even more immersive and powerful.
In this thoroughly researched book, Clair Wills draws on myriad sources to paint a vivid picture of post-war immigration to the UK. Wills gives voice to a generation who encountered new opportunities while also facing poverty and discrimination.
British politics
In today’s political landscape, it's easy to feel hopeless, frustrated, and voiceless. But we can make a difference, argues political veteran and The Rest Is Politics podcast co-host Alastair Campbell in this practical and inspirational guide to effective campaigning.
Britain is broken, according to James O’Brien, but who’s to blame? From media moguls to former prime ministers, the broadcaster and political commentator charts the story of Britain’s decline through unsparing, impeccably researched portraits of 10 key people from across the political spectrum.
Englishness has been co-opted by the political right, according to Caroline Lucas. In Another England , the Green Party politician explores more nuanced stories of national identity and what we can learn from them – from the Romantic poets’ relationship with nature, to the activism of Chartists and the Suffragettes.
Recent political memoirs
In his memoir, Rory Stewart – former Cabinet minister and co-host of the hit podcast The Rest Is Politics – gives an insider’s account of the government since 2010. The end result is a sharp, shocking, and funny read that is equal parts entertaining and eye-opening.
Dawn Butler was the third Black woman to be elected as an MP and her work has helped transform the NHS and the Met Police. In her inspiring memoir, Butler shares the hurdles she overcame to enter politics and demonstrates how anybody can make positive change.
AI and tech
Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind, the AI research laboratory now owned by Google, argues that we are not prepared for a future surrounded by artificial intelligence. The Coming Wave establishes a way forward for tackling the political, social, and existential dilemmas that would arise from such a future.
Salman Khan, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Khan Academy, has long been at the cutting edge of education. Brave New Words is his thoughtful, optimistic exploration of what AI could mean for the world of work and education beyond current handwringing about ChatGPT-generated essays.
As technology accelerates at break-neck speeds, the human mind struggles to keep up. This creates an “exponential gap” – and it has real, knock-on effects on our workplaces, social lives and even democracy. In Exponential , a leading technologist explores where we go from here.
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Gender and inequality
Financial journalist Annabelle Williams digs into the shocking statistics that illustrate the gender wealth gap in Britain, laying out the personal, social, structural, and political underlying causes that stand in the way of economic equality for women.
Presenter, academic and The Times journalist Mary Ann Sieghart investigates the systemic bias against women in the workplace, exposing the challenges they face through data analysis and interviews with pioneering women in politics and beyond.
One of the world’s foremost scholars of gender studies examines how the concept of “gender” has become a lightning rod for reactionary movements the world over – with a dedicated chapter challenging the burgeoning gender-critical movement in the UK.
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Free election resources
Voting checklist
Look up your local polling station and the candidates standing for election in your area
Look up MPs' voting records
Fact-check party commitments and news stories
Party manifestos
Find your local library for books, newspapers, ebooks and audiobooks
Voter ID
Registrations to vote closed on Tuesday 18th June, but registered voters still need to remember to bring a valid form of photo ID with them to the polling station on election day. Find out which forms of ID are accepted here .
