Changing Party Policy in Britain: An Introduction

This book provides students and general readers with a crucial analysis of Britain′s shifting party dilemmas at a time of blurred voter loyalty, policy convergence between the main parties and increased pressure group activity. The volume is written by a team of experts in the policy fields concerned and provides a comprehensive analysis of a wide range of policy areas from economic and industrial policy to sexual equality, civil liberties and the environment. The contributors link policy developments to the traditions and character of governing parties and include case studies to explain how particular policies evolved.

Each chapter begins with a brief synopsis and is then divided into four distinct sections so that readers can easily make comparisons between different policy areas. The sections are:

∗ The Historical Context: Party Policy 1945–1992

∗ An Unusual Climate: Continuity and Rupture 1992–1997

∗ The 1997 General Election: Campaign and Aftermath

∗ Conclusion: The Impact of Party Policy.

All chapters also include a chronology of significant developments from April 1992 to October 1997 and a guide to further reading.

This book provides an up–to–date, essential resource for students of British politics and general readers.

List of Tables.

Preface and Acknowledgements.

Party Activity and the Making of Party Policy: An Overview: Richard Kelly.

1. Economic and Industrial Policy: Steven Fielding and Jonathan Tonge.

2. Europe and Foreign Affairs: Fergus Carr.

3. Health, Education and Social Security: Brian Lund.

4. Law, Order and Civil Liberties: Steven Foster.

5. Racial Equality: Shamit Saggar.

6. Sex Equality: Ian Forbes.

7. Northern Ireland: Michael Cunningham.

8. Local Government and Devolution: Howard Elcock.

9. Parliament and the Civil Service: Robert Pyper.

10. Environmental Policy: Robert Garner.

Conclusion.

Guide to Further Reading.

Appendices.

Index.

Richard Kelly teaches politics at the University of Manchester and the The Manchester Grammar School and is an editorial consultant to Parliamentary Brief, Public Policy Review and the Daily Telegraph. His previous books include Conservative Party Conferences (1989), British Political Parties Today (co–author 1993; second edition 1998) and Modern British Statesmen (co–editor, 1997). He has also written chapters for Developments in Politics (Causeway, 1997), Britain′s Changing Party System (1994) and Conservative Century (1994) and articles on party politics for the Independent Spectator and New Statesman and Society.

"A most valuable collection of essays with useful chronologies and bibliographies." H. Steck, SUNY College at Cortland