British Politics and the Policy Process

In recent years there have been considerable changes in the ways in which politics and policy making are studied. The student is faced not only by a diversity of theoretical approaches but also with competing vocabularies and specialist terminologies. This text provides an introduction to the workings of the British political process and clarifies study methods. Drawing widely on case study material and memoirs of ex-ministers and civil servants, the authors show how political decisions are taken and policies adopted in cabinet, inside Parliament and in the political parties. They argue that Parliament is marginal in political decision making, and also powerfully reject the thesis of adversary politics.