The Conservatives in CrisisMark Garnett, Philip Lynch "The Conservatives in crisis provides a timely and important analysis of the Conservative Party's spell in opposition following the 1997 general election. It includes chapters by leading academic experts on the party and commentaries by three senior Conservative politicians: Lord Parkinson, Andrew Lansley MP and Ian Taylor MP. Having been the dominant force in British politics in the twentieth century, the Conservative Party suffered its heaviest general election defeats in 1997 and 2001. This book explores the party's current crisis and assesses the Conservatives' failure to mount a political recovery under the leadership of William Hague. The Conservatives in crisis includes a detailed examination of the reform of the Conservative Party organisation, changes in ideology and policy, the party's electoral fortunes, and Hague's record as party leader. It also offers an innovative historical perspective on previous Conservative recoveries and a comparison with the revival of the US Republican Party. In the conclusion the editors assess the failures of the Hague period and examine the party's performance under Iain Duncan Smith. The Conservatives in crisis will be essential reading for students of contemporary British politics"--Publisher's description. |
Contents
Tables | 23 |
lessons for the Conservatives? | 29 |
the leadership gamble of William Hague | 49 |
The Conservative parliamentary party | 66 |
Organisational reform and the extraparliamentary party | 82 |
A question of definition? Ideology and the Conservative Party | 107 |
Conservative policy under Hague Peter Dorey | 125 |
The Conservatives and Europe 19972001 Philip Lynch | 146 |
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1997 general election 2001 general election activists agenda areas argued asylum seekers backbenchers ballot Bill Blair government Britain Bush candidates cent Central Office centre claimed Clarke compassionate conservatism Conservative MPs Conservative Party Conservative politics constituency core cultural Daily Telegraph democracy despite devolution economic effective election campaign election defeat electoral EMU entry English euro Euro-sceptic Europe European factors Fresh Future frontbench government's House Iain Duncan Smith ideological issues Labour Party landslide leadership contest leadership election Liberal Democrats Lilley Listening to Britain London Lord Major membership Michael Portillo Minister MSPs OMOV opinion polls opposed opposition parliamentary party party conference party leader party members party's period populist Portillo position pro-European public services recovery referendum reform Republican result Scotland Scottish Conservatives Scottish Parliament seats Seldon Shadow Cabinet single currency social speech strategy Thatcher Thatcherite traditional Union vatives vote voters Westminster whilst William Hague