Cameron and the Conservatives : The Transition to Coalition Government

Specialists in Conservative Party politics examine the effectiveness of the Cameron led coalition. The contributors examine Cameron as leader and Prime Minister; the Conservatives' modernisation strategy; the level of ideological coherence in 'liberal conservatism'; and the impact of the coalition on a range of policy areas and on 'New' Labour.

This edited volume, now with a fully revised preface, brings together leading specialists in Conservative Party politics to examine the effectiveness with which the Cameron led coalition has adapted to the demands of government. While the main focus is on the first year in office, there are insights into why a Conservative modernisation statecraft strategy resulted in a hung Parliament and the need to form a coalition. The coherence of the policy agenda that informs ''liberal conservatism'' is analyzed and the impact of the coalition on party policy across a range of social and foreign areas is examined; including economic, European and immigration policies, as well as territorial politics. The contributors also consider how cohesive and unified the coalition actually is in parliamentary terms and the effectiveness of Cameron as leader and Prime Minister. They also evaluate the impact of the coalition on wider perceptions of party politics and on ''New'' Labour and how it has adapted to opposition.