Who Governs Britain?

Description

A Pelican introduction to the British political system, just in time for the 2015 election The British system has been radically transformed in recent decades, far more than most of us realise. As acclaimed political scientist and bestselling author Anthony King shows, this transformation lies at the heart of British politics today. Imagining - or pretending - that the British political system and Britain's place in the world have not greatly changed, our political leaders consistently promise more than they can perform. Political and economic power is now widely dispersed both inside and outside the UK, but Westminster politicians still talk the language of Attlee and Churchill. How exactly has the British system changed? Where does power now lie? In Who Governs Britain?, King offers the first assessment in many years of Britain's governing arrangements as a whole, providing much needed context for the 2015 general election.

Anthony King is Millenium Professor of British Government at the University of Essex. He broadcasts frequently on politics and elections for the BBC and writes on the same subjects for the Financial Times, the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph and the Observer. He is the co-author of the bestselling The Blunders of Our Governments, which Andrew Marr called 'an astonishing achievement'.

An excellent book on the changing face of power in Britain today... King's peroration is an indictment of our political system for failing to adapt to new realities -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times * A jaw-dropping read... Who Governs Britain? poses a simple question, with a clear answer: no one does * Daily Telegraph * A timely examination of how the distribution of power has shifted... Anthony King has been sagely assessing British politics from the University of Essex for half a century -- Andy Beckett * Guardian * Power escaped the grasp of the centre long ago. We no longer believe politicians can do what they say... This is the subject of a fine new book by the distinguished political scientist and veteran of BBC election nights, Anthony King -- Philip Collins * The Times * A comprehensive and compelling guide to how government works in Britain and the sources of its many failings -- Bill Emmott * Financial Times * Fascinating... The abiding lesson of King's intriguing book is that power is all over the place and somehow nowhere in particular -- Philip Collins * Prospect *