Synopses & Reviews
Tony Wright's
Very Short Introduction to British Politics is an interpretative essay on the British political system, rather than merely an abbreviated textbook on how it currently works. He identifies key characteristics and ideas of the British tradition, and investigates what makes British politics distinctive, while emphasizing throughout the book how these characteristics are reflected in the way the political system actually functions. Each chapter is organized around a key theme, such as the constitution or political accountability, which is first established and then explored with examples and illustrations. This in turn provides a perspective for a discussion of how the system is changing, looking in particular at devolution and Britain's place in Europe.
About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam
About the Author
Tony Wright is MP for Cannock Chase, and Chairman of the Public Administration Committee. Before entering parliament in 1992 he was Reader in Politics at the University of Birmingham. His publications include
Socialisms: Old and New (OUP; reissued Routledge, 1996),
Citizens and Subjects: An Essay on British Politics (Routledge, 1994),
Why Vote Labour? (Penguin, 1997) and, as editor,
The British Political Process (Routledge, 1999).
Table of Contents
1. The Britishness of British Politics
2. The Political Constitution
3. Ideology--and After
4. Governing: The Strong Centre
5. Representing: Party Rules OK
6. Accounting: Heckling the Steamroller
7. New Wine, Old Bottles
8. The End of British Politics?