The Cameron-Clegg Government : Coalition Politics in an Age of Austerity

Beech and Lee provide a definitive guide to the coalition's first year in office. Offering compelling insights into their policy agenda, its chances of success, and a thought-provoking analysis of how the coalition government will affect the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour long-term. This book provides the first detailed analysis of the ideas and policies of the Cameron-Clegg government. It covers the period from the May 2010 General Election and its outcome, through the formation of the coalition, to publication of the coalition's Programme for Government, and its 20 October 2010 Spending Review. Drawing upon the contributions of a team of 16 academic experts, every area of domestic policy is evaluated, including policy developments and spending decisions affecting the economy; health; education; welfare and the 'Big Society'; environment and transport; home affairs; constitutional reform; and Scotland, Wales and Northen Ireland. The Cameron-Clegg Government also evaluates the coalition's agenda for defence policy, including the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review; foreign policy and international development; and policy towards the European Union. The book concludes with an analysis of the impact of the coalition upon each of the three major United Kingdom political parties Front Matter....Pages i-xv Front Matter....Pages 1-1 ‘We Are All in This Together’: The Coalition Agenda for British Modernization....Pages 3-23 What is the Legacy of New Labour?....Pages 24-37 The Formation of the Coalition....Pages 38-55 Front Matter....Pages 57-57 No Plan B: The Coalition Agenda for Cutting the Deficit and Rebalancing the Economy....Pages 59-74 The Con-Lib Agenda in Education: Learning the Hard Way?....Pages 75-88 The Emerging Blue (and Orange) Health Strategy: Continuity or Change?....Pages 89-104 Welfare Reform and Coalition Politics in the Age of Austerity....Pages 105-117 Vote Blue, Go Green, What’s a Bit of Yellow in Between?....Pages 118-133 The Con-Lib Agenda for Home Affairs....Pages 134-152 The Con-Lib Agenda for the ‘New Politics’ and Constitutional Reform....Pages 153-167 The Con-Lib Coalition Agenda for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland....Pages 168-184 Front Matter....Pages 185-185 The Con-Lib Agenda for National Security and Strategy....Pages 187-202 The Con-Lib Agenda for Foreign Policy and International Development....Pages 203-217 The Con-Lib Agenda for Europe....Pages 218-233 Front Matter....Pages 235-235 A Leap of Faith and a Leap in the Dark: The Impact of Coalition on the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats....Pages 237-250 The End of New Labour? The Future for the Labour Party....Pages 251-266 A Tale of Two Liberalisms....Pages 267-279 Back Matter....Pages 281-291

Beech and Lee provide a definitive guide to the coalition's first year in office, offering compelling insights into their policy agenda, its chances of success, and a thought-provoking analysis of how the coalition government will affect the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Labour long-term. 

"A timely rain-check on the government's progress. The coalition may well have a lot longer to run but its first year has certainly been action packed and students of British politics will find much to chew over in this volume."--Steve Coulter, European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science Beech and Lee provide a definitive guide to the coalition's first year in office. They offer compelling insights into their policy agenda, its chances of success, and a thought-provoking analysis of how the coalition government will affect the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour long-term The coalition in the making Coalition politics in perspective Coalition policies abroad A coalition built to last?.