How Labour Governments Fall From Ramsay Macdonald to Gordon Brown [Hardcover]

What similarities exist between the reasons for Labour losing office in 2010 and those behind why previous Labour governments were defeated? This edited volume provides a detailed historical appraisal which considers the importance of themes such as economic performance; political leadership and the condition of the Conservatives in opposition.Acknowledgements Notes on Contributors List of Figures and Tables 1. Introduction; Timothy Heppell and Kevin Theakston 2. The Fall of the First MacDonald Government 1924; Keith Laybourn 3. The Fall of the Second MacDonald Government 1931; Chris Wrigley 4. The Fall of the Attlee Government 1951; Robert Crowcroft and Kevin Theakston 5. The Fall of the Wilson Government 1970; Peter Dorey 6. The Fall of the Callaghan Government 1979; John Shepherd 7. The Fall of the Brown Government 2010; Timothy Heppell 8 Conclusion; Timothy Heppell and Kevin Theakston Index

'Notwithstanding the recent electoral success of New Labour under Tony Blair, Labour governments falling from office after relatively brief spells in power have been a common feature of the political landscape. Yet relatively little academic attention has been paid to the generic and comparative context, factors, contingencies and consequences of Labour's frequent and not insubstantial election defeats in power. This timely and original collection, which combines the insights of a select and expert band of Labour historians and political scientists, illuminates the common and exceptional, external and internal, recurrent and contingent factors and developments that have contributed to Labour's uneasy grasp on power. In its systematic, multi-dimensional and accessible analysis, it tells us why Labour has failed historically, sociologically, ideologically and presentationally to make the leap to natural party of government.

- Stephen Meredith, Division of History, Politics and Philosophy, University of Central Lancashire, UK

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