Partition: how and why Ireland was divided

bler, the double-crosser, the non co-operator’. By the end of this hefty but deft survey, it becomes apparent that there was precious little elbow-room for anyone else at the very apex of British fascism. Liberal democracy in the United Kingdom has thus been repeatedly lucky in its opponents on this flank. Yet Macklin never makes the mistake of under-estimating this grisly cadre: and always pays due tribute to their (often considerable) talents for eye-catching invective and propaganda. Above all, he never loses sight of the big picture. He is always careful to recognise the core achievements of the British fascist tradition: its sheer resilience, its capacity for intellectual regeneration, its cultural authenticity. Unlike its subjects, Failed Führers succeeds triumphantly.