Homosexuality
The main theme of the book is homosexuality, specifically, closet homosexuality. Thorpe is having an illicit gay relationship with Scott, but hides it because it will be detrimental to his burgeoning political career, and even when he is the leader of the Liberal Party, does not admit that he is gay because it really would be the kiss of death on his career. In fact, he never revealed his sexuality publicly, and to the end denied that he was gay, or even bisexual. The closest he came to admitting anything was through his attorney, who admitted in court that Thorpe had fought off "homosexual tendencies" as a younger man.
Homosexuality at the time of these events was barely legal and definitely socially unacceptable. In a politician it was completely unacceptable. The book shows that homosexuality was not accepted in society. Because it would affect a career so significantly it was also acceptable at the time to discriminate against someone because of their sexuality. Homosexuality in the book and in Thorpe's life was also the root cause of the web of deceit and lies that wove its way through Thorpe's life, and the root of the conspiracy to commit murder that he was charged with.
Class System
The British class system is entrenched in society, and Thorpe was an example of the way in which the upper classes seemed to go into the legal profession and into politics. The way in which he treated those he felt to be of a lower class than him also speaks volumes about the class system. He had a typically upper class upbringing; Eton, Oxford, legal career and finally politics. What makes his career unusual is that most people in his position typically gravitated towards the Conservative Party; Thorpe became a Liberal. The events that unravel also show that the upper classes are treated differently in the court system than the lower classes are.
Scandal
There is nothing worse in England than being involved in a scandal. There is also nothing more fascinating to those not involved in the scandal than the scandal that someone else is involved in. This was a salacious case that captivated the nation, but the book also shows that one of the things that the English fear the most is being involved in a scandal, because it is literally a career killer. This particular scandal was like a soap opera on the evening news every night, reality television before reality television actually existed. The way it captivated the nation also explains why it is still a famous case even today.
Politics
That Thorpe chose to gravitate towards the Liberal Party is inexplicable given that he was an ambitious young man. The three party system renders the Liberal Party, as Party Number Three, relatively obsolete, existing only to cause trouble to the other two parties. Realistically, at the time, to be leader of the Liberal party was to give up any hope of ever being in government, let alone becoming Prime Minister. The book gives the reader a fascinating insight into the three party system, and the way in which the government works in the U.K.
