Leeks from the Back Benches

Alison Halford was the most senior police woman in the United Kingdom when she was forced into retirement, her reputation in ruins after a viciously defended discrimination battle. After moving into the even more challenging world of Welsh politics, Halford became a County Councillor and a member of the North Wales Police Authority, although her presence was deeply resented after she uncovered injustices in the complaints procedure. Alison moved on to become one of the 60 Assembly Members in the newly devolved Welsh Assembly Government, as the Assembly Member for Delyn. In this book, Halford gives a graphic account of how she reached Cardiff, and a fresh insight into Welsh Labour's first four years of power, a struggle due to the Party's tiny majority. At the same time, she exposes the unjust treatment of a senior civilian employee who is suspended and subject to rank discrimination when she loses the trust of Chief Officers. Leeks from the Back Benches is a highly personal account of a political career, written almost exclusively from the author's diaries. It is also, however, a fascinating look at the world of Welsh politics, exploring issues such as the secretive world of the Police Authority, the North-South divide, governmental waste, and, above all, providing a real insight into the day-to-day activities of those who run the country.