Denis MacShane is one of Britain’s leading experts of European politics. Born in Glasgow, he grew up in London and lived and worked in exile in Europe for 15 years when Margaret Thatcher become prime minister. He is a life-long Labour Party member and activist who was an MP for 18 years, Minister of State at the Foreign Office and UK Delegate to the Council of Europe.

He has written biographies of François Mitterrand and Edward Heath, books on the Polish union, Solidarity and black trade unions fighting apartheid, as well studies of modern anti-semitism and West Balkan conflicts. His 2015 book Brexit: How Britain Will Leave Europe predicted the outcome of the 2016 referendum. His last book Bexiternity: The Uncertain Fate of Britain predicting endless problems arising from the way Brexit has been handled was published in 2020.

He has four children and one grandson. He has had lunch, dinner, and many drinks with Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. He has not met Sir Keir Starmer.