The story of our nation has been lit up, and at times shaped, by the words of countless patriots, sceptics, radicals, conservatives and polemicists. Elizabeth's speech to her troops at Tilbury in 1588, Wilberforce's vigorous denunciations of the slave trade in 1789 or Churchill's stirring wartime speeches are some of the most inspiring moments in British history. In Great British Speeches Simon Heffer has put together a richly eclectic selection of fifty memorable and influential speeches from every period of our history, from the medieval era to the present. From rallying-calls at times of national danger to expressions of moral outrage at the evils of war and slavery, and from passionate defences of principle to eloquent showpieces of the art of parliamentary debate. The oratorical skills of many of the greatest names and most influential figures in British history are on display here: Fox and Burke, Gladstone and Disraeli, Thatcher and Blair to name but a few. Great British Speeches is an enthusiastic celebration of the rich tradition of British oratory. Both inspiring and thought-provoking, it offers a unique and fascinating perspective on seven centuries of our nation's history.