The 2010 election has transformed the British political landscape, ushering in a coalition government for the first time since the Second World War, and breaking up the UK’s traditional pattern of two-party dominance.

This book analyses the implications of this turning point in British history, looking beyond the sound and fury of the election campaign in search of the deeper causes and long-term consequences of the 2010 poll. As well as assessing the reasons for Labour’s defeat and the Conservatives’ failure to win the election outright, the book also addresses the impact of the global financial crisis and the problems facing the British economy one decade into the new century.

This volume will be of interest both to academic specialists, students and the interested general reader seeking insights into the rapidly changing British political scene.

Introduction Gianfranco Baldini
Elections, voters, parties
1. The British general election of 2010 and the advent of coalition government Patrick Dunleavy
2. The Labour party Eric Shaw
3. The path to (sharing) power: Conservative party Richard Hayton
4. The Liberal Democrats: Challenges, issues and policies Elizabeth Evans
5. The financial crisis and financial regulation in the UK Lucia Quaglia
6. Inequality, poverty and the 2010 election Jonathan Hopkin and Martina Viarengo
7. Immigration and multiculturalism: controversies and policies Roberto Bertinetti
The Changing UK State and its role in the world
8. Devolution and the 2010 election in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Alan Trench
9. Between Europe and America: The coalition and Britain’s changing international role Gianfranco Baldini
Conclusion

Gianfranco Baldini Jonathan Hopkin