The contents focus directly on the dynamics of political argument in order to reveal how rival politicians and political scientists practice their persuasive art. Each contributor explores a disputed viewpoint, showing how differences of attitude and ideology structure the contemporary debate. Students should learn how an argument is constructed and develop the skills necessary for separating rhetoric from political reality. Further guidance is provided by summary boxes and suggested additional reading.
Central Debates in British Politics focuses on British politics in a changing social, economic and institutional context. The book explores issues and debates using a variety of approaches and techniques. It is written and edited by a team of leading experts who analyse key issues in a highly structured and thematic manner.
Over the last thirty-five years British politics has undergone something of a revolution: the collapse of strong class allegiance to parties; the recovery of an economy once perceived to be in terminal decline; the near twenty-year rule of the of Tories; and the extraordinary emergence and establishment of the Blairite New Labour Party. Together with these changes we have also seen: the reshaping of the civil service; the establishment of devolved assemblies; the reform of the Lords; the decline of ideology; the apparent crushing of the Conservative Party; and the ubiquity of media management as a tool of political persuasion. This text outlines and contextualizes these major changes, and more.
Elections ask voters to choose between political parties. But voters across the UK are increasingly being presented with fundamentally different, and largely disconnected, sets of political choices. This book is about this hollowing out of a genuinely British democratic politics: how and why it has occurred, and why it matters. Electoral choices across Britain became increasingly differentiated along national lines over much of the last half-century. In 2017, for the second general election in a row, four different parties came first in the UK's four nations. UK voters are increasingly faced with general election campaigns that are largely disconnected from each other. At the same time, voters acquire much of their information about the election from news-media based in London that display little understanding of these national distinctions. The UK continues to elect representatives to a single parliament. But the shared debates and sets of choices that tie a political community together are increasingly absent. Separate national political arenas and agendas still have to interact but in some respects the House of Commons increasingly resembles the European Parliament – whose members are democratically chosen but from a disconnected series of separate national electoral contests. This is deeply problematic for the long-term unity and integrity of the UK.
In recent years British politics has seemed increasingly unpredictable. The Conservative Party's return to single-party government in 2015 surprised commentators and the electorate alike, and Labour's choice of Jeremy Corbyn as its leader marked a striking change in direction for the party. Cuts to public welfare and spending have led to growing dissatisfaction among sections of the public, and the increasing popularity of parties critical of the government's immigration, economic and social policies appears to represent a call for fundamental change in British politics. With a question mark hanging over the country's global standing following the EU referendum, and with further calls for Scottish independence, Britain's immediate future seems uncertain. In the 10th edition of this highly acclaimed text, leading authorities reflect on the latest developments in British politics. Drawing on current research, the chapters provide a state-of-the-art, yet accessible, account of British politics today. All the chapters are newly commissioned for this edition and together they provide a systematic analysis of key trends, issues and debates. Topics covered include the legacy of Cameron's governments, the politics of austerity, immigration, and the question of what, if anything, is distinctively 'British' about the British political system.
Designed to complement the author's A History of Modern Britain, this collection of primary sources illuminates and augments the study of modern Britain with coverage of political, imperial, and economic history as well as class and cultural issues Features a broad range of documents, in a well-structured and easy-to-use format, including important, well-known documents and lesser-known excerpts from memoirs and private correspondence Provides up-to-date, balanced coverage of political, imperial, social, economic, and cultural history with over 180 documents Offers a thorough rendering of social class and national identity, including coverage of changes in British society over the last 20 years Includes discussion questions for each document, as well as lists of historical debates and extensive bibliographies of both on-line and traditional sources for students' further research
In June 2016, the United Kingdom shocked the world by voting to leave the European Union. As this book reveals, the historic vote for Brexit marked the culmination of trends in domestic politics and in the UK's relationship with the EU that have been building over many years. Drawing on a wealth of survey evidence collected over more than ten years, this book explains why most people decided to ignore much of the national and international community and vote for Brexit. Drawing on past research on voting in major referendums in Europe and elsewhere, a team of leading academic experts analyse changes in the UK's party system that were catalysts for the referendum vote, including the rise of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), the dynamics of public opinion during an unforgettable and divisive referendum campaign, the factors that influenced how people voted and the likely economic and political impact of this historic decision.
This open access book provides a detailed exploration of the British media coverage of the press reform debate that arose from the News of the World phone hacking scandal and the Leveson Inquiry. Gathering data from a content analysis of 870 news articles, Ogbebor shows how journalists cover debates on media policy and illustrates the impact of their coverage on democracy. Through this analysis, the book contributes to knowledge of paradigm repair strategies; public sphere; gatekeeping theory; the concept of journalism as an interpretive community; political economy of the press; as well as the neoliberal and social democratic interpretations of press freedom. Providing insight into factors inhibiting and aiding the role of the news media as a democratic public sphere, it will be a valuable resource for the press, media reform activists, members of the public, and academics in the fields of journalism, politics and law.
Systematically revised and updated, British Politics is an accessible and definitive guide to the shape of Britain's political institutions and processes. The new edition covers significant developments and events in British politics, such as the financial crisis and the 2010 general election, and provides full analysis of the first year of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government. Incorporating useful learning aids throughout, the book examines the state of British politics set against the background of devolution within the UK and an ever-changing European and global environment. Key features • 'Comparative politics' boxes highlight differences and similarities with other political systems • 'Academic controversy' boxes summarize debates on key issues • On-page glossary explains key words and concepts • Chapter summaries, questions for discussion and further reading to stimulate and reinforce learning • Illustrated 'key thinker' profiles • A companion website – www.palgrave.com/foundations/leach – containing valuable additional material for students and lecturers
