Remember the SDP? They once seemed like the future. However, Ivor Crewe and Anthony King document the history of a party that lived for less than a decade.

From its creation in 1981 to its merger with the Liberals in 1988, Crewe and King provide the most authoritative history of the SDP possible as they explore the party’s origins and modern use of media.

But with an academic tone, the middle focus purely on the party’s internal machinery. Although there are points of interest, such as the SDP’s middle class appeal, much of it is dull.

Overall, the opening and concluding two-thirds are great, but the middle can be dry.