First published in 1992. In this lively and controversial book, Kevin Theakston examines the Yes, Minister-style argument popularised by Tony Benn and Richard Crossman that the civil service obstructs Labour government policies. He argues that in fact the Labour party's problems and failures in office are largely political in origin. The book surveys the development of socialist thinking about Whitehall, and examines the claim of a Labour MP in 1979 that 'It is as if Labour in office has now lost all stomach for administrative reform.' Theakston looks at the effectiveness of Labour's various reform schemes, raising important issues such as politicisation and power in the civil service, Whitehall management, elitism in civil service recruitment, and secrecy and 'open government'. This book will appeal to researchers and students of British politics, public administration, and history, as well as to all those with an interest in Whitehall reform, or in Labour Party politics.

First published in 1992. In this lively and controversial book, Kevin Theakston examines the Yes, Minister-style argument popularised by Tony Benn and Richard Crossman that the civil service obstructs Labour government policies. He argues that in fact the Labour party's problems and failures in office are largely political in origin. The book surveys the development of socialist thinking about Whitehall, and examines the claim of a Labour MP in 1979 that 'It is as if Labour in office has now lost all stomach for administrative reform.' Theakston looks at the effectiveness of Labour's various reform schemes, raising important issues such as politicisation and power in the civil service, Whitehall management, elitism in civil service recruitment, and secrecy and 'open government'. This book will appeal to researchers and students of British politics, public administration, and history, as well as to all those with an interest in Whitehall reform, or in Labour Party politics.

This book analyses the changing role of the British Foreign Secretary and presents biographical case studies of all the individual holders of that post, the policies they persued and the issues they faced, since 1974. The work of the British Foreign Secretaries from James Callaghan to Robin Cook is examined in the context of the foreign policy-making machinery, the changing environment of British foreign policy, and the internal and external political forces with which they had to contend. Using a biographical case study approach, the chapters examine the careers, personalities, policies and influence of successive Foreign Secretaries to increase our knowledge and understanding of the work of the government, and the development of British foreign policy over the last thirty years. British Foreign Secretaries Since 1974 casts light on the hitherto shadowy and understudied role of personality in international relations and on how ten very different personalities helped to shape the detail and the articulation of British foreign policy.

This book analyses the changing role of the British Foreign Secretary and presents biographical case studies of all the individual holders of that post, the policies they persued and the issues they faced, since 1974. The work of the British Foreign Secretaries from James Callaghan to Robin Cook is examined in the context of the foreign policy-making machinery, the changing environment of British foreign policy, and the internal and external political forces with which they had to contend.
Using a biographical case study approach, the chapters examine the careers, personalities, policies and influence of successive Foreign Secretaries to increase our knowledge and understanding of the work of the government, and the development of British foreign policy over the last thirty years. "British Foreign Secretaries Since" "1974" casts light on the hitherto shadowy and understudied role of personality in international relations and on how ten very different personalities helped to shape the detail and the articulation of British foreign policy.
A significant contribution to the field of modern British history, this book will be essential reading for academics and students studying and researching the areas of British government and politics, British foreign policy, and modern British political history.

This book offers a detailed account of the life and career of William Armstrong, the most influential civil servant in Britain in the 1960s and 1970s, and one of the most powerful and significant Whitehall officials in the post-1945 period. He was at the centre of the British government policy-making machine for over 30 years - the very incarnation of the 'permanent government' of the country. He was the indispensable figure at the right hand of successive Chancellors of the Exchequer, and a reforming Head of the Civil Service. His role and power was such that he was controversially dubbed 'deputy prime minister' under Edward Heath. The book also casts light on wider institutional, political and historical issues around the working and reform of the civil service and the government machine, the policy-making process, and the experience in office of Labour and Conservative governments from the 1940s to the 1970s. ;;;;;;;;;;;

"Volumes of Influence" explores the work of a number of important books and key writers within the academic disciplines of politics and international relations. It revisits and re-evaluates some of the landmark or classic books in politics and international relations, and assesses the contribution of some of the most influential writers who have played a significant role in the development of these disciplines, who defined their subjects, set agendas and inspired. They remain significant and relevant, offering insights that help in understanding and analyzing contemporary problems, issues and debates. The book's chapters - written by specialists in their fields - discuss and evaluate: - "Walter Bagehot," "The English constitution" (1867)
- Maurice Duverger, "Political parties" (1953)
- Seymour Martin Lipset and Stein Rokkan, "Cleavage structures, party - systems and voter alignments" (1967)
- Gerald Curtis, "Campaigning Japanese style" (1971)
- Steven Lukes, "Power: A radical view" (1974)
- Richard Crossman, "The diaries of a Cabinet Minister" (1975)
- Charles Lindblom, "Politics and markets" (1977)
- George Kennan, "American diplomacy" (1951)
- Graham Allison, "Essence of decision" (1971)
- Charles Beitz, "Political theory and international relations" (1979)
- Samuel Huntington, "The clash of civilizations" (1993)
The book will appeal and be of interest to academics and to students of politics and international relations, highlighting the importance of going back and studying some of the foundation literature in their subjects - books and authors which stand the test of time.

This book illustrates the cyclical pattern in the kinds of dilemmas that confront political leaders and, in particular, disjunctive political leaders affiliated with vulnerable political regimes. The volume covers three major episodes in disjunction: the interwar crisis between 1923 and 1940, afflicting Stanley Baldwin, Ramsay MacDonald and Neville Chamberlain; the collapse of Keynesian welfarism between 1970 and 1979, dealt with by Edward Heath, Harold Wilson and James Callaghan; and the ongoing crisis of neoliberalism beginning in 2008, affecting Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May. Based on this series of case studies of disjunctive prime ministers, the authors conclude that effective disjunctive leadership is premised on judicious use of the prime ministerial toolkit in terms of deciding whether, when and where to act, effective diagnostic and choice framing, and the ability to manage both crises and regimes.

This study of leadership in the British civil service draws the lessons of how change in central government can be managed and implemented from a series of biographical studies of the acknowledged leaders in the civil service in the 19th and 20th centuries, from Charles Trevelyan, the founder of the modern civil service, to modern Mandarins such as Robert Armstrong and Margaret Thatcher's personal adviser the outsider Sir Derek Rayner. The case studies are linked to the wider themes of leadership and administrative culture in Whitehall, illustrating the patterns of change and continuity over time.

What is political leadership and does it operate differently in different political contexts? In addition to context, personal political skill plays a large role in the area of leadership, often yielding significant results. Whether a leader is active or passive, creating dynamic relations of talent and institutional powers or choosing to leave situations as they are, skill is frequently the key factor in policy achievement. In this book, editors Hargrove and Owens gather seven very different studies of skill in context. From the role of the European Commission president to the well established function of the president of the United States, each essay analyzes and interprets the effects of institutional powers and the environments in which leaders operate on their effectiveness and degree of personal talent each brings to the table.

What is political leadership and does it operate differently in different political contexts? In addition to context, personal political skill plays a large role in the area of leadership, often yielding significant results. Whether a leader is active or passive, creating dynamic relations of talent and institutional powers or choosing to leave situations as they are, skill is frequently the key factor in policy achievement. In this book, editors Hargrove and Owens gather seven very different studies of skill in context. From the role of the European Commission president to the well established function of the president of the United States, each essay analyzes and interprets the effects of institutional powers and the environments in which leaders operate on their effectiveness and degree of personal talent each brings to the table.