The Prime Ministerial Court (Hardcover)

Prof R.A.W. Rhodes

ISBN 10: 0192866206 / ISBN 13: 9780192866202

Published by Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2024

About this Item

Hardcover. Court politics is about who in British government did what to whom, when, how, why, and with what consequences. In The Prime Ministerial Court Rod Rhodes provides a thorough depiction of the court politics of the Conservative governments of the twenty-first century, namely the courts of David Cameron, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson. Exploring specific topics, including the courtiers, the prime minister's craft, reshuffles,resignations, and leadership challenges, and the political games and feuds in the court between ministers, advisers, and civil servants, Rhodes concludes that the British government has a new Establishment in which theskills of 'knavery' abound. He finds evidence of betrayal, revenge, lying, scandals, and bullying with such machinations oiled by gossip, humour, and alcohol. Analysing the everyday practice of the 'dark arts' by the British political and administrative elite, each chapter includes a short case study of the court in action, covering the education wars, the 2018 election, and the Covid-19 crisis. Each case illustrates the personal, electoral, and governmental consequencesof court politics. Rhodes warns that there are more and more knaves, decency is in decline, and British government needs 'rules for rulers'. Above all, he cautions citizens -'beware, here be dragons'. Rod Rhodes provides a thorough depiction of the Conservative prime ministerial courts of David Cameron, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780192866202

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Prime Ministerial Court (Hardcover)
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, Oxford
• Publication Date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0192866206
• ISBN 13: 9780192866202
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Court politics is about who in British government did what to whom, when, how, why, and with what consequences.

In The Prime Ministerial Court Rod Rhodes provides a thorough depiction of the court politics of the Conservative governments of the twenty-first century, namely the courts of David Cameron, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson. Exploring specific topics, including the courtiers, the prime minister's craft, reshuffles, resignations, and leadership challenges, and the political games and feuds in the court between ministers, advisers, and civil servants, Rhodes concludes that the British government has a new Establishment in which the skills of 'knavery' abound. He finds evidence of betrayal, revenge, lying, scandals, and bullying with such machinations oiled by gossip, humour, and alcohol.

Analysing the everyday practice of the 'dark arts' by the British political and administrative elite, each chapter includes a short case study of the court in action, covering the education wars, the 2018 election, and the Covid-19 crisis. Each case illustrates the personal, electoral, and governmental consequences of court politics.

Rhodes warns that there are more and more knaves, decency is in decline, and British government needs 'rules for rulers'. Above all, he cautions citizens - 'beware, here be dragons'.

About the Author

R. A. W. Rhodes, Professor of Government and Director of the Centre for Political Ethnography, University of Southampton

Rod Rhodes is Professor of Government at the University of Southampton, Director of the Centre for Political Ethnography, and the author or editor of over 45 books. His most recent publication is Comparing Cabinets (with D. Grube and P. Weller, Oxford University Press 2021). He previously served as editor-in-chief of Public Administration and currently edits the Political Ethnography book series for Manchester University Press. He is a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in both Australia and the UK. In 2015 the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) awarded him their biennial Lifetime Achievement Award for his 'outstanding contribution to all areas of political science, and the exceptional impact of his work'.