New Labour Triumphs: Britain at the Polls

Library Journal

The Conservative Party dominated British politics for the past two decades until May 1, 1997, when Tony Blair's revamped "New Labour" party achieved an unprecedented victory, gaining a total of 419 seats in the House of Commons for a majority of 179. By way of comparison, the Conservatives retained 165 seats, mostly in suburban areas of southern England. This collection of essays by such noted contributors as Patrick Seyd, Pippa Norris, Iain McLean, and King provides a useful overview of recent developments, including the emergence of Blair, the exhaustion of the Conservatives, the "battle for the campaign agenda," and the role of the Scottish question in constitutional politics. In a concluding chapter, David Sanders charts "the new electoral battleground" and identifies the "increased volatility of the electorate" as the biggest cloud on Blair's horizon. The most accessible guide available to the dramatic rise of Blairism and to the current plight of the Tories; recommended for academic libraries.Kent Worcester, Marymount Manhattan Coll., New York