First Among Equals
Encyclopedia
First Among Equals is a 1984 novel
by British author
Jeffrey Archer, which follows the careers and personal lives of four fictional British politician
s (Simon Kerslake
, MP for Coventry Central and later Pucklebridge; Charles Seymour
, MP for Sussex Downs; Raymond Gould
, MP for Leeds North; and Andrew Fraser
, MP for Edinburgh Carlton) from 1964 to 1991, with each vying to become Prime Minister
. Several situations in the novel are drawn from the author's own early political career in the British House of Commons
, and the fictional characters interact with actual political figures from the UK and elsewhere including Winston Churchill
, Alec Douglas-Home
, Harold Wilson
, Edward Heath
, Margaret Thatcher
, Douglas Hurd
, Colonel Gadaffi
, Gary Hart
and Queen Elizabeth II
.
The title is a literal translation of the Latin
term Primus inter pares
, a term used to refer to either the most senior member of a group of equals (peers) or to refer to someone who claims to be just one member of a group of equals when in reality he or she completely dominates said group. This phrase is used to describe the official constitutional status of the British Prime Minister within his Cabinet
.
to join the breakaway Social Democratic Party
. According to Archer, the change was made because the publisher did not believe the American audience would understand a multi-party political system. As a result, several plot elements revolving around Andrew Fraser were transferred to other characters, notably Simon Kerslake, who suffered through a change of heart in a prospective marriage partner and the later loss of a child in the US edition, while these events happened to Andrew Fraser in the UK edition.
The ending of the novel differed in the US version as well, with both the winner of the ultimate election and the manner in which the contest was decided changing from one version to the next. In an interview, Archer joked that he found his American friends were generally more supportive of Kerslake, while his British readers backed Gould.
The original UK version was later released in the United States as well.
miniseries that aired on ITV
in 1986.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by British author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Jeffrey Archer, which follows the careers and personal lives of four fictional British politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s (Simon Kerslake
Simon Kerslake
Simon Kerslake is a fictional character in the political novel First Among Equals, by Jeffrey Archer. He is a British Conservative Party politician, representing the Coventry Central and later Pucklebridge constituencies, who served under Prime Ministers Edward Heath and Margaret Thatcher.There...
, MP for Coventry Central and later Pucklebridge; Charles Seymour
Charles Gurney Seymour
The Honourable Charles Gurney Seymour, 1st Viscount Seymour of the Downs, is a fictional character in the political novel First Among Equals, by Jeffrey Archer. When the novel was first published in the United States, the character's name was altered to "Charles Gurney Hampton".He is the second son...
, MP for Sussex Downs; Raymond Gould
Raymond Gould
The Rt. Hon Raymond Gould QC MP is a fictional character in the political novel First Among Equals, by Jeffrey Archer. He is a British Labour Party politician, representing the Leeds North constituency, who served under Prime Ministers Harold Wilson and James Callaghan.Gould, a red-haired...
, MP for Leeds North; and Andrew Fraser
Andrew Fraser (First Among Equals)
Andrew Fraser is a fictional character in the political novel First Among Equals, by Jeffrey Archer. He is a British politician of the Labour Party, representing the Edinburgh Carlton constituency, and later the Social Democratic Party ....
, MP for Edinburgh Carlton) from 1964 to 1991, with each vying to become Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
. Several situations in the novel are drawn from the author's own early political career in the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, and the fictional characters interact with actual political figures from the UK and elsewhere including Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, Alec Douglas-Home
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
, Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
, Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
, Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, Douglas Hurd
Douglas Hurd
Douglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC , is a British Conservative politician and novelist, who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major between 1979 and his retirement in 1995....
, Colonel Gadaffi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
, Gary Hart
Gary Hart
Gary Hart is an American politician, lawyer, author, professor and commentator. He served as a Democratic Senator representing Colorado , and ran in the U.S...
and Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
.
The title is a literal translation of the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
term Primus inter pares
Primus inter pares
Primus inter pares is Latin phrase describing the most senior person of a group sharing the same rank or office.When not used in reference to a specific title, it may indicate that the person so described is formally equal, but looked upon as an authority of special importance by their peers...
, a term used to refer to either the most senior member of a group of equals (peers) or to refer to someone who claims to be just one member of a group of equals when in reality he or she completely dominates said group. This phrase is used to describe the official constitutional status of the British Prime Minister within his Cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
.
US and UK Plot Differences
When published in the United States, the novel was rewritten to eliminate the character of Andrew Fraser. The Fraser character eventually departs the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
to join the breakaway Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
. According to Archer, the change was made because the publisher did not believe the American audience would understand a multi-party political system. As a result, several plot elements revolving around Andrew Fraser were transferred to other characters, notably Simon Kerslake, who suffered through a change of heart in a prospective marriage partner and the later loss of a child in the US edition, while these events happened to Andrew Fraser in the UK edition.
The ending of the novel differed in the US version as well, with both the winner of the ultimate election and the manner in which the contest was decided changing from one version to the next. In an interview, Archer joked that he found his American friends were generally more supportive of Kerslake, while his British readers backed Gould.
The original UK version was later released in the United States as well.
Television miniseries
First Among Equals was adapted into a Granada TelevisionGranada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
miniseries that aired on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in 1986.
See also
- Charles Gurney SeymourCharles Gurney SeymourThe Honourable Charles Gurney Seymour, 1st Viscount Seymour of the Downs, is a fictional character in the political novel First Among Equals, by Jeffrey Archer. When the novel was first published in the United States, the character's name was altered to "Charles Gurney Hampton".He is the second son...
- Simon KerslakeSimon KerslakeSimon Kerslake is a fictional character in the political novel First Among Equals, by Jeffrey Archer. He is a British Conservative Party politician, representing the Coventry Central and later Pucklebridge constituencies, who served under Prime Ministers Edward Heath and Margaret Thatcher.There...
- Raymond GouldRaymond GouldThe Rt. Hon Raymond Gould QC MP is a fictional character in the political novel First Among Equals, by Jeffrey Archer. He is a British Labour Party politician, representing the Leeds North constituency, who served under Prime Ministers Harold Wilson and James Callaghan.Gould, a red-haired...
- Andrew FraserAndrew Fraser (First Among Equals)Andrew Fraser is a fictional character in the political novel First Among Equals, by Jeffrey Archer. He is a British politician of the Labour Party, representing the Edinburgh Carlton constituency, and later the Social Democratic Party ....