In May 2010, Labour suffered one of its worst ever election defeats. A few months later it chose Ed Miliband as its new leader. His task? To win back power after just one term in opposition - a tall order given how many voters had come to blame Labour for the economic mess the country was in, and to see the party as a soft-touch when it came to immigration and welfare. Even those who were more sympathetic had their doubts. Was Ed Miliband really leadership material? Would he be able to overcome defeating his elder brother to get to the top? Would he have to do as he was told by the trade union leaders who had helped him win? Could he resolve the tensions between Blairites and Brownites, Blue Labour and New Labour? Might his desire to keep his colleagues united mean Labour stayed stuck in its comfort zone? Would he, in seeking to break from the party's recent past, take it too far to the left? Could he offer the electorate something really radical in 2015 or would he instead choose something safer but ultimately less inspiring? And what should twenty-first social democracy look like now that the money had run out? This book, by one of the country's foremost experts on party politics, seeks to answer all those questions and, in the run up to the 2015 general election, to ask one more: will Ed Miliband's five year mission turn out to be 'mission impossible'?

Five Year Mission: The Labour Party under Ed Miliband

History

Bale, Tim

Europe

Oxford University Press

What do we really mean when we say a political party has changed? And exactly what is it that drives that change? Political scientists working in the comparative tradition have come up with a general explanation that revolves around the role of election defeats and loss of office, and around changes of leader and factions. But how well does that explanation cope when subjected to a historically-grounded and therefore robust examination? This book tries to answer that question by subjecting the common wisdom to a real-world, over-time test using one of the world's oldest and most successful political parties as an in-depth case study. What do the periods spent in both opposition and government by the British Conservatives since 1945 tell us about what drives parties to change their sales-force, the way they organize, and the policies they come up with? Using internal papers, memos and minutes of meetings from party archives, along with historical and contemporary accounts, memoirs and interviews, this book maps the extent of change and then explores what may have driven it. The conventional wisdom, it turns out, is not necessarily wrong but incomplete, requiring both qualification and supplementation. This approachably-written book suggests when, how, and why. Along the way, it provides a fresh and comprehensive account of the Conservative Party that should appeal equally to those interested in political history and those interested in political science.

The Conservatives since 1945: The Drivers of Party Change

Legal Theory & Systems

The Modern British Party System

Review\n"A brilliant, mind expanding book ― and very readable." -- Chris Mason, BBC Political Correspondent and presenter of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions\n"Eye-opening unknown insights into the inner life of political parties will grip casual and expert readers alike. Leaders who resist reforms, beware complacency at growing public distrust and cynicism, this timely and lively book warns, for parties are vital components of our democratic life." -- Polly Toynbee, guardian columnist and co-author of The Lost Decade: 2010-2020 and What Lies Ahead for Britain\n"In an age of extraordinary political flux, this authoritative analysis of shifting party allegiances and fragmenting political tribes is essential reading not only for students of politics but for anyone interested in the trends shaping public life." -- Rachel Sylvester, Columnist and Interviewer, The Times\n"When so much of the media focus is on leaders this is a brilliantly researched and illuminating reminder that British politics is based around parties...making it a must read for all those that want to make sense of the changing political patterns around the UK." -- Steve Richards, Author and Broadcaster\nThe new edition of this successful book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview and account of the changing nature of party politics in Britain today.\nWebb and Bale draw on models of comparative politics in conducting a wealth of new empirical analysis to map and explain the ways in which the party system has evolved, and the parties have adapted to a changing political environment. Themes covered include the nature and extent of party competition, the internal life and organizational development of parties, the varieties of party system found across the UK, and the roles played by parties within the wider political system. The book also addresses the crisis of popular legitimacy confronting the parties, as well as assessing the scope for potential reform. While parties remain central to the functioning of Britain's democracy, public disaffection with them is as high as it has ever been; reform of the system of representation and party funding is warranted, but there are unlikely to be any panaceas.

The Modern British Party System (Oxford)

Politics & Social Sciences

Webb, Paul

Politics & Government

The new edition of this successful book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview and account of the changing nature of party politics in Britain today. Webb and Bale draw on models of comparative politics in conducting a wealth of new empirical analysis to map and explain the ways in which the party system has evolved, and the parties have adapted to a changing political environment. Themes covered include the nature and extent of party competition, the internal life and organizational development of parties, the varieties of party system found across the UK, and the roles played by parties within the wider political system. The book also addresses the crisis of popular legitimacy confronting the parties, as well as assessing the scope for potential reform. While parties remain central to the functioning of Britain's democracy, public disaffection with them is as high as it has ever been; reform of the system of representation and party funding is warranted, but there are unlikely to be any panaceas.

European Politics: A Comparative Introduction (Comparative Government and Politics)

This popular and highly praised text provides a lively and accessible introduction to the governance and politics of Europe. Thematically structured to address the key institutions and issues, it is genuinely pan-European in scope. Although no country is ignored, a range of representative countries (the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK) as well as the European Union itself, are used as key examples throughout the book and each of them is the subject of an in-depth double-page country profiles. The text is supported by a range of features, including: - Double-page country profiles with coverage of key issues - Debate boxes which give the pros and cons of contested issues - Key Point boxes to reinforce learning and aid revision - Further Reading, Web Links and Discussion Questions for each chapter The third edition has been fully revised and updated to take account of the latest developments and now includes coverage of the Eurozone crisis, governments' austerity measures and recent legislation affecting privacy and human rights.

European Politics: A Comparative Introduction

Springer

European Politics: A Comparative Introduction, 2nd edition (Comparative Government and Politics)

The fully revised 2nd edition of this popular text provides a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the government and politics of Europe. The book is thematically organized to address the big issues and it uses nine representative countries as case studies.

European Politics: A comparative Introduction, 2nd edition (Comparative Government and Politics)

PALGRAVE~MACMILLAN

The Conservative Party: From Thatcher to Cameron

The Conservatives are back - but how did they do it and what took them so long? What happened between the party's decision to dump one of the world's most iconic leaders, Margaret Thatcher, and the arrival in office of David Cameron at the head of the UK's new coalition government? Has Britain's prime minister really changed his party as much as he claims? Are they devotees of the Big Society or just the 'same old Tories', keen on cuts and obsessively Eurosceptic? 
 The answers, as this accessible and gripping book shows, are as intriguing and provocative as the questions. Based on in-depth research and interviews with the key players, Tim Bale explains why the Tories got themselves into so much trouble in the first place and how they were finally able to get things back on track. In the new paperback version, he also explores their inability to win an outright victory at the 2010 election and looks at their decision to share power with the Liberal Democrats. The Conservative Party: From Thatcher to Cameron is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand what makes the Tories tick. And it contains valuable lessons about what to do - and what not to do - for their Labour opponents.

Polity

The Conservatives are back - but how did they do it and what took them so long? What happened between the party's decision to dump one of the world's most iconic leaders, Margaret Thatcher, and the arrival in office of David Cameron at the head of the UK's new coalition government? Has Britain's prime minister really changed his party as much as he claims? Are they devotees of the Big Society or just the 'same old Tories', keen on cuts and obsessively Eurosceptic?  The answers, as this accessible and gripping book shows, are as intriguing and provocative as the questions. Based on in-depth research and interviews with the key players, Tim Bale explains why the Tories got themselves into so much trouble in the first place and how they were finally able to get things back on track. In the new paperback version, he also explores their inability to win an outright victory at the 2010 election and looks at their decision to share power with the Liberal Democrats. The Conservative Party: From Thatcher to Cameron is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand what makes the Tories tick. And it contains valuable lessons about what to do - and what not to do - for their Labour opponents.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Bale, Tim. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Bale, Tim

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Bale, Tim. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Five Year Mission: The Labour Party under Ed Miliband

The Conservatives since 1945: The Drivers of Party Change

The Modern British Party System (Oxford)

The Modern British Party System

The Conservatives since 1945: The Drivers of Party Change

European Politics: A Comparative Introduction

European Politics: A comparative Introduction, 2nd edition (Comparative Government and Politics)

European Politics: A Comparative Introduction, 2nd edition (Comparative Government and Politics)

The Conservative Party: From Thatcher to Cameron

The Conservative Party: From Thatcher to Cameron