(Ebook) The New British Politics 4th Edition by Ian Budge, David McKay, Kenneth Newton, John Bartle ISBN 9781405824217 1405824212

Chapter 1 British politics in context International, social and historical settings

Liberal democracy

Making comparisons

International context

Historical context

Social change in post-war Britain

Political demands and institutional constraints

Class/territorial divisions

The British State and the British ‘Establishment'

European integration

Britain: adapting to a new international environment

Further reading

Useful web sites on British politics

Political party sites

Other sites of interest

Part 1 History

Chapter 2 The first industrial country Ideas and institutions, 1688–1931

The triumph of parliamentary over royal power, 1688–1830

Urbanisation and the rise of mass democracy, 1830–1928

The British world system, 1850–90

Institutional change and reform, 1840–1900

Free markets, protection and industry, 1890–1931

Defences against an unstable international environment, 1890–1931

Rise of socialism and trade union power, 1890–1931

Further reading

Useful web sites on institutions and relationships

British trade union sites

International union sites

Chapter 3 From government intervention back to free markets and a ‘Third Way' Ideas and institutions, 1931–2006

The rise of intervention, protection and planning, 1931–45

Founding and administering the Welfare State, 1945–62

Government intervention, 1962–79

The return of the free market, 1979–97

Thatcherism, 1979–90

Modified Thatcherism, 1992–7

A Third Way? New Labour, 1997–2007

Further reading

Useful web sites on the British economy

Part 2 Government

Chapter 4 A British constitution?

Britain's ‘unwritten' constitution: status and sources

Parliament, government and the constitution

The traditional constitution, 1911–72

The unitary state

Parliamentary sovereignty

Constitutional monarchy

Concentrated and centralised power – elective dictatorship?

Government accountability

Representative government

Strengths of the traditional constitution

Durable democracy

Stable government

Moderate government

Effective government

The pragmatic virtue – it works

The traditional constitution: myths and reality

Conventions

Ministerial responsibility

Secrecy

Unaccountable government?

Inflexibility

A democratic deficit?

Recent constitutional changes

Impact of Europe

Referendums

Judicial review

New Labour's ‘constitutional project'

Independence for the Bank of England

Human rights

Scottish and Welsh devolution

Home Rule in Northern Ireland

London government

The House of Lords

Electoral reform

Referendums

Freedom of information

Constitutional Reform Act 2005

Guardians of the constitution

The incomplete programme

Further reading

Useful web sites on the British constitution

Chapter 5 The Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the core executive

The Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher, stormbird of British politics

John Major: overreaction to Thatcher?

Tony Blair and New Labour

Freedom and constraint on PM power: hiring and firing

The Prime Minister's Office

The kitchen cabinet

The Cabinet

Collective responsibility

Cabinet committees

The Cabinet Office

The Cabinet, departments and joined-up government

The eternal political triangle

Prime ministerial styles

Thatcher as Prime Minister

Major as Prime Minister

Blair as Prime Minister

Who governs: Cabinet or Prime Minister?

Prime ministerial government

Cabinet government

Cabinet or prime ministerial government?

The core executive

Numbers

Changing circles of power

What does the concept of the core executive explain?

Further reading

Useful web sites on the core executive

Chapter 6 Ministries, ministers and mandarins central government in Britain

Departments and ministries of Whitehall

Ministry structure

Ministerial roles and responsibilities

Ministerial responsibility

Ministers and civil servants

The civil servant's role

Mandarin power?

Politicising the Civil Service: what price the code of ethics?

New Labour and the mandarins

Special advisers

Task forces

Further reading

Useful web sites on ministries, ministers and mandarins

Chapter 7 The changing state Administrative reforms

The British Civil Service: the traditional model and the radical critique

The traditional model

The Fulton Report

The radical critique

Reforming public services: a managerial revolution?

Next Steps: the theory

Next Steps: the practice

Spread of quasi-government

Public sector reform: an assessment

Fragmentation

Accountability

Efficiency

New Labour and the public sector

The People's Panel

Joined-up government

The private finance initiative

Further reading

Useful web sites on the changing state and administrative reforms

Part 3 Sovereignty

Chapter 8 Britain in Europe

The European Union: origins and development

Britain as a member state

The Single European Act and Maastricht: quantum leaps forward for the EC

Europe as a crisis issue in British politics

Further reading

Useful web sites on Britain in Europe

Chapter 9 Europe in Britain

Union or secession?: the British dilemma

Europe and the British constitution

Practical and parliamentary sovereignty

Judicial review under the EU

European parliamentary elections and voting reform

Executive power

Other aspects of the constitution

How the EU is governed

The EU and the British Civil Service

The EU and British pressure groups

Public policy

Economic affairs – the euro

Other aspects of EU harmonisation

Regional aid

Consumer affairs

Agriculture and fishing

Environmental policy

Social policy

Justice and home affairs

Foreign affairs and security

The ‘democratic deficit' of the EU

Subsidiarity and local government

Further reading

Useful web sites on Europe in Britain

Chapter 10 Disuniting the Kingdom Ireland

Minority nationalism and state building in Britain and Europe

Devolution

Northern Ireland: origins of the ‘Troubles'

Historical and social background

Religious divisions

Northern Ireland, 1922–72

The ‘Troubles', 1969–97

The ‘Peace Process', 1997–2005

The Northern Ireland Assembly: key to power sharing

Workings of the Assembly

Towards a lasting peace?

Further reading

Useful web sites on Ireland

Chapter 11 Devolution Scotland, Wales and the English regions

Nationalism and devolution

Regional disparities in Britain

Territory and ethnicity

Scotland: some cultural but more institutional distinctiveness

Historical and social background

Scottish nationalism and devolution

Regional divisions inside Scotland

Scottish devolution in practice

Wales: cultural distinctiveness and territorial fragmentation

Historical and social background

The Welsh regions

Welsh devolution

The new Assembly

Extending devolution to the English regions?

Constitutional implications

Further reading

Useful web sites on devolution

Specific sites on Scotland

Specific sites on Wales

Specific sites on England

Specific sites on Northern Ireland

Specific sites on the Greater London Authority

Chapter 12 Local democracy?

Local politics in context

Territorial and functional reorganisations

Local councils and how they function

Parties and political control

Money and power in local government

Councillors and officers

Elected councillors

Officers

Local government and democracy

The division of functions, and size and efficiency

Local government revolution, 1979–97

Implications for local democracy

New Labour: local democracy and service quality

Further reading

Useful web sites on local democracy

Part 4 Popular Participation

Chapter 13 Pressure groups

Civil society and social capital

Voluntary associations

Voluntary associations, pressure groups, political parties and social movements

The pressure group world

How groups operate: tactics and targets

Civil servants

Ministers and the Cabinet

Westminster

Political parties

Local councils

Public campaigns and the mass media

Courts

The European Union

Policy networks and policy communities

Growth of direct and radical action

Impact of pressure groups

Group features

The political environment

Thatcher, Blair and pressure groups

Thatcher and pressure groups

Blair and pressure groups

Pressure groups and democracy

Social capital and support for government

Further reading

Useful web sites on pressure groups

Chapter 14 The mass media and pluralist democracy

Who uses what medium for what purpose?

Tabloids, broadsheets and TV

Impact of the media

Reinforcement theory and minimal effects

Agenda setting

Priming and framing

Direct effects

Media bias?

Government bias

Media bias: newspapers

Media bias: radio and TV

Pluralist democracy and the mass media

Pluralist theory and the media

The print media

The electronic media: regulation and the public service model

Commercialisation of the electronic media

Ownership and control of the British media

Centralisation

Declining number of newspaper titles

Concentration of ownership and control

Multimedia conglomeration

Internationalisation – the borderless world

Political consequences of market changes

Smaller media: specialisation and diversity

Sensationalism and investigative journalism

Less politics and current affairs?

E-media: digitopia or digital dystopia?

Further reading

Useful web sites on mass media

Chapter 15 Elections and voting

Elections and parties since 1945

Elections to Parliament: first past the post

The bias in the first past the post system

Targeting seats

Boundary reviews

The impact of new electoral systems

A hung Parliament: from first past the post to proportional representation?

Explaining individual votes and electoral success

Long-term factors and the vote

Class dealignment

Party loyalties

Partisan dealignment and its consequences

Short-term factors and the vote

Policies and positions

Performance

Party image

Leaders

Tactical voting

Electoral turnout

Solutions

Further reading

Useful web sites on elections and voting

Part 5 Representation

Chapter 16 Political parties and party factions

Functions of parties

Party unity and internal dissent: Conservatives, Liberals and Labour, 1868–1979

Emergence of modern parties: Whig and Tory, Conservative and Liberal

The early twentieth century: Conservative, Liberal and Labour

Post-war developments: Conservative, Labour and Liberals 1945–79

Factions and factionalism since 1979

Party structure and organisation

The impact of origins and ideology

The leadership

The parliamentary parties

The national headquarters

The party in the country and party conferences

Annual conference and policy making

The party in the electorate

Further reading

Useful web sites on political parties and party factions

Chapter 17 Party ideologies

Party families

Party ideologies

Ideologies and political cleavages

‘Left' and ‘right' in British politics

Left–right differences in the major parties' ideologies

Elections, manifestos and programmes

Party manifestos and party ideology

Measuring left–right ideology in manifestos

Left and right – convergence or divergence?

The end of ideology?

The positive contribution of party ideology to electoral choice

Alternatives to party democracy

Further reading

Useful web sites on party ideologies

Chapter 18 Parliament the House of Lords and the House of Commons

Government and Parliament

Structure of Parliament: the House of Lords

Membership of the House of Lords

The powers of the House of Lords

The role of the partly reformed House of Lords

Structure of Parliament: the Commons

Scrutiny of legislation

Delegated legislation

Scrutiny of the executive

Select committees

The Liaison Committee

Parliamentary questions

Opposition days

Government and party

Party unity in the Commons

Electoral mandate versus continuing parliamentary scrutiny

The government and journalists

Interests: proper and improper representation

Party discipline in Parliament and its relaxation

Maintaining party cohesion

Dissent within parliamentary parties

The role of third parties

Further reading

Useful web sites on parties and Parliament

Part 6 Order

Chapter 19 The courts and the judiciary

The separation of powers, the rule of law and judicial independence

Court systems in the United Kingdom

The political role of the courts

Judicial review

The ultra vires doctrine

Developments in the common law

The Human Rights Act 1998

Extra-judicial activities

Appointment of judges

Politics and the judges

Further reading

Useful web sites on politics and law

Chapter 20 The police and policing

The principles underlying policing

A brief history of British policing

From 1945 to the 1970s: consensus and controversy

New structures

Police accountability and control

Police procedures and the individual citizen

The politicisation of policing

Financial scrutiny and the push for reorganisation

New Labour: tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime

Police, public and the law

Issues in policing

Recent developments

Policing, civil liberties and human rights

The Stephen Lawrence murder and the Macpherson inquiry

Further reading

Useful web sites on the police and policing

Chapter 21 Security and secrecy

The rise of security and secrecy as a political issue

Security and intelligence agencies

Recent anti-terrorist legislation

Terrorism Act 2000

Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001

Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2005

Concerns about recent anti-terrorist legislation

Accountability

The Ministerial (Cabinet) Committee on the Intelligence Services (CSI)

Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC)

The Intelligence and Security Committee

Commissioners and tribunals

The courts

Standards of conduct

The secret state

Freedom of information and open government

Freedom of information

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2000

Further reading

Useful web sites on security and secrecy

Part 7 Policy

Chapter 22 Foreign and defence policy

Foreign and defence policy making in Britain: actors and institutions

Realism and idealism

Post-war developments in British foreign policy

Changing world context

Changing climate of ideas

Globalisation

Motivations and assumptions of British foreign policy

European Union

Nuclear deterrence and unilateral disarmament

The ‘special relationship' with the United States

British capabilities in the post-Cold War era

British foreign and defence policy: the party political dimension

Further reading

Useful web sites on foreign and defence policy

Chapter 23 Environmental policy

Environmental problems

Policy actors and institutions

Issues in environmental policy

Scientific uncertainty

Cross-cutting nature of environmental issues

Development of eco-taxation

Sustainable development

Role of the European Union

New Labour: new environmental policy?

Further reading

Useful web sites on environmental policy

Chapter 24 Economic policy

Economic policy in historical and comparative context

Economic policy: the basics

Institutional context

Style and substance of policy making

Budgetary process

Internationalisation of economic policy

European Union

International capital markets

Blair government and the public sector: the return of old Labour?

Further reading

Useful web sites on economic policy

Chapter 25 Social policy

Defining social policy

The British Welfare State

Income maintenance

Actors and institutions

New Labour policy

Housing

Actors and institutions

New Labour policy

Health

The 1948 system

The 1974 reforms

The 1982 reforms

Further reforms, 1991–2006

Actors and institutions

New Labour policy

Education

To select or not to select?

Standards and management

Higher education

Actors and institutions

New Labour policy

Further reading

Useful web sites on social policy

Chapter 26 Citizenship and equal opportunities

Equal opportunity: a political and semantic minefield?

Inequality and discrimination in Britain

Gender

Disability

Race

Immigration and citizenship

Sexual preference

Politics of equal opportunity: what does the future hold?

Further reading

Useful web sites on equal opportunities

Part 8 Assessment

Chapter 27 Problems, policies, processes and democracy, 1997–2006

Free market, humane society: New Labour's programme

Neo-liberal economics

Public services

Constitutional reform

Europe

Iraq and the ‘war on terror'

Democratic renewal and government responsiveness

Social harmony

Political disunity and discontent

Alienation from ‘Europe'

Europe versus the United States: Britain's place in the European Union

Globalisation – the continuing decline of British manufacturing?

Economic management: free markets, strong state

Redressing inequality? New Labour's social policies

The political management of national reform: have institutions changed and can they cope?

Democratic deficits: how far has constitutional reform gone?

Party policy for the future

Further reading

Useful web sites on new politics, new democracy

Glossary

Index