NEW BOOK ABOUT LLOYD GEORGE AND HIS WOMEN SHOULD BE PUBLISHED SUMMER 2008

6.38.00pm GMT Thu 3rd Jan 2008

Back in 2005, Ffion Hague, the wife of the former Conservative Party leader, announced that she was writing a book (to be published by Harper Collins) about the love life of David Lloyd George. The biography was to be called 'A Perpetual Conflict: The Women in the Life of David Lloyd George'. According to the website of Mrs Hague's literary agents, PFD of Russell Street, WC2, the book is based around the 'open secret' that for 30 years of his life, David Lloyd George, Prime Minister, war leader and international statesman, had not one wife but two in all but the strictest sense.

The original proposed publication date has long since passed but an article in the Independent newspaper written by Henry Deedes and published in April 2007 indicated that Harper Collins expected to publish in around May 2008. At that time Mrs Hague was saying that she had written about half the book.

The Lloyd George Society understands that the most likely date for the publication of the book is now June. We believe that Mrs Hague has had access to all the Lloyd George family papers and wait to see if there are any revelations or new material in the book which have not previously come to light as the diaries and papers of Frances Stevenson and the papers held by Jennifer Longford and her daughter Ruth Nixon have already been released or made available to researchers.

One reason for the delay of Mrs Hague's work may have been to avoid a clash with the publication by Jonathan Cape in 2006 of the book, 'If Love Were All: The Story of Frances Stevenson and David Lloyd George' written by the distinguished biographer John Campbell. Mr Campbell had access to the Longford/Nixon papers to help in the writing of his book.

We look forward to the publication of the book as a further useful addition to the literature about LG and will post any update on the website as and when it comes in.