The Failure of the Heath Government [Paperback]

Second revised edition of a study of the Conservative government of 1970-74 which discusses and attacks recent revisionist interpretations which exonerate Heath from culpability for the economic and industrial meltdown of 1972-74. Reveals the economic, political and electoral misjudgements of the Heath government.Acknowledgements - The Failure of the Heath Government: Introduction to the Second Edition - PART 1: INTRODUCTION - Electoral Victory and the 'Quiet Revolution' - PART 2: POLITICAL PRESSURE AND ECONOMIC POLICY - The Industrial Relations Act: Its Origins, Operation and Consequences - The U-Turn over Industry Policy - The 'N minus 1' Experiment and the Reaction to Rising Unemployment - The 'Heath Dilemma' and the Drift to Incomes Policy - The Operation of Stages I and II - Stage III, the Miners' Strike and the February 1974 Election - PART 3: CONCLUSIONS - Policy Reversals and Prime Ministerial Power - Policy Reversals and Contemporary Conservatism - PART 4: APPENDICES - Chronology - Select Bibliography - Index

'...important and strongly recommended, neatly packaged and eminently readable, and written with a clarity and authority that one can but envy.' - Cyril Townsend, House Magazine

'...refreshing for a political writer to treat economic policy seriously rather than as a form of black magic which affects the parties' standing in the polls.' - Samuel Brittan, Financial Times

'...interesting, detailed and often stimulating contribution to the acromonious debate about the nature of true Conservatism.' - Andrew Gamble, Political Studies

'...revisionist, readable study seeks to show the full extent of the political, economic and electoral misjudgements of Heath's government.' - Sunday Times

MARTIN HOLMES