Is David Cameron’s Conservative party as new and progressive as they would like us to think? Does the coalition government represent a new politics in Britain, or is the new government just the same old Tories hiding behind an opportunist pact with the Liberal Democrats? Does Cameron differ from past Conservatives like Margaret Thatcher, and if so, how? Does Cameron’s brand of progressive conservatism show a break with the history of the Tory party, or is it merely a reaction to particular circumstances? This book looks at the coalition government in the context of conservative ideas and seeks to assess what, if anything, is new about it. It contains an assessment of why the Conservatives, unlike in Thatcher’s time, failed to win an outright majority and what this means for Conservative politics. The book is aimed at undergraduates and those interested in the future direction of politics in the UK.

Peter King is the author of many books, including one on the right to buy entitled Housing Policy Transformed (Policy Press, 2010). His research interests include welfare reform, housing subsidies and conservative social thought.

Featuring:
Prof Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, University of Sussex
Dr Peter King, Reader in Social Thought, De Montfort University
Mark Littlewood, Director General & Ralph Harris Fellow, IEA

Chairman:
Prof Philip Booth, Editorial & Programme Director, IEA

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