Westminster Book Awards Open for Nominations Ahead of 2027 Ceremony

The Reader Times desk 12 October 2026 Updated 14 October 2026 Based on Publishers Association (UK) reporting

Engraved illustration of a richly stocked bookshop brightened by flowers and warm light. — Editorial illustration for The Reader Times.

Publishers can submit titles for the eleventh Westminster Book Awards, the sole literary prizes curated by bookshops and decided by parliamentarians, with entries due by 29 October.

Launched in 2016 by the Booksellers Association and the Publishers Association, the Westminster Book Awards celebrate political writing and the historic link between politics, books and publishing.

The awards feature three categories – Best Biography, Autobiography or Memoir by a Parliamentarian; Best Fiction or Non‑fiction Book by a Parliamentarian; and Best Political Book by a Non‑parliamentarian. Booksellers will shortlist entries and parliamentarians will vote for the winners.

Previous winners include Nick Clegg, Jess Phillips MP and Dame Penny Mordaunt. The ceremony is scheduled for January 2027, and submissions close at 11:59 pm on Thursday 29 October via the Publishers Association website.