The British Party System

A study of the British party system, this third edition brings up-to-date the picture of a party system apparently in transition. It begins by establishing the origins and development of parties in the UK and considers the notion of a party system and the customary British claim to a two-party system. Six chapters on the two major parties follow, covering the development of party ideology and its relationship to policy, the structure of party organization with an analysis of the location of power, and an account of party membership and support, both in Westminster and in the constituencies. It gives an account of the rise of New Labour in terms of ideology, structure and personnel and considers developments in the Conservative Party under Major and Hague. The Liberal Democrats, inheritors of the Liberal tradition, are analyzed and the "Celtic dimension" to the British party system is considered along with its likely impact on the party system of devolution.

Stephen Ingle is head of the Politics Department at the University of Stirling. His academic interests are in adversarial politics, especially in the UK, and in the relationship between politics and literature. He has publshed widely in both areas.