The Tories: From Winston Churchill to David Cameron

Description

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. This book offers a comprehensive and accessible study of the electoral strategies, governing approaches and ideological thought of the British Conservative Party from Winston Churchill to David Cameron. Timothy Heppell integrates a chronological narrative with theoretical evaluation, examining the interplay between the ideology of Conservatism and the political practice of the Conservative Party both in government and in opposition. He considers the ethos of the Party within the context of statecraft theory, looking at the art of winning elections and of governing competently. The book opens with an examination of the triumph and subsequent degeneration of one-nation Conservatism in the 1945 to 1965 period, and closes with an analysis of the party's re-entry into government as a coalition with the Liberal Democrats in 2010, and of the developing ideology and approach of the Cameron-led Tory party in government.

Timothy Heppell is Lecturer in British Politics at the School of Politics and International Studies (POLIS), University of Leeds, UK. He is the author of four previous books including Choosing the Labour Leader: Labour Party Leadership Elections from Wilson to Brown (2010).

A timely, accessible and very well-written survey of the politics and performance of the post-war Conservative Party. While rich in detail its focus on statecraft provides a valuable theoretical framework for interpreting the party's trajectory since 1945. Both students and members of the Conservative Party will find this a very rewarding read. * Nick Randall, Senior Lecturer and Head of Politics, Newcastle University, UK * By striking just the right balance between narrative and analysis, the author provides the ideal introduction to the ups and downs experienced by the Conservative Party in the seven decades since the end of the Second World War. Students of both politics and history are guaranteed to get a great deal out of this admirable and approachably-written book. * Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University, London, UK * ... an outstanding in-depth analysis of the Tories by Timothy Heppell. * LeftCentral * Heppell offers a good index and an impressive bibliography ... This book is a useful and timely post-mortem on the Tory Party. -- William John Shepherd * Finest Hour *