The Major Premiership: Politics and Policies under John Major, 1990–97

This book examines the politics and policies of the Major governments from 1990 to 1997. It examines how and why the Major governments sought to reform the civil service, local government, education, social security, and industrial relations, and the extent to which such reform constituted a continuation of Thatcherism. It also considers the problems experienced by John Major in leading and managing the parliamentary Conservative party, with Europe proving particularly problematic for his premiership.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: John Major: One of Us?; P.Dorey Chaos or Cohesion? John Major and the Parliamentary Conservative Party; P.Cowley A Permanent Revolution in Whitehall: The Major Governments and the Civil Service; K.Theakston Centralization and Fragmentation: John Major and the Reform of Local Government; J.Kingdom A Return to the Philosophy of Consultation? The Major Premiership and Organized Interests; R.Baggott & V.McGregor-Riley Strategic Errors and/or Structural Binds? John Major and Europe; D.Wincott, J.Buller & C.Hay Renewed Hope for Peace? John Major and Northern Ireland; C.Norton Defender of the Union: John Major and Devolution; J. BarryJones The 3Rs; Reform, Reproach and Rancour: Education Policies under John Major; P.Dorey Rolling Back the (Welfare) State: The Major Governments and Social Security Reform; M.Hill No Return to Beer and Sandwiches: Industrial Relations and Employment Policies under John Major; P.Dorey The Limits of Likeability: John Major and Public Opinion; D.Broughton Despair and Disillusion Abound: The Major Premiership in Perspective; P.Dorey Bibliography Chronology Index

About the Author :
ROB BAGGOTT Reader in Public Policy, De Montford University, Leicester JIM BULLER Lecturer in Politics, Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham DAVID BROUGHTON Lecturer in Politics, School of European Studies, Cardiff University PHILIP COWLEY Lecturer in Politics, University of Hull, and Research Secretary, Centre for Legislative Studies COLIN HAY Lecturer, Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham, and Visiting Fellow, Department of Political Science, MIT MICHAEL HILL Visiting Professor, Department of Social Policy and Politics, Goldsmiths College, University of London, and Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne J. BARRY JONES Senior Lecturer in Politics, School of European Studies, Cardiff University JOHN KINGDOM Reader in Politics, Sheffield Hallam University VICTORIA MCGREGOR-RILEY Lecturer in Public Policy, Department of Health and Continuing Professional Studies, De Montford University, Leicester CHRISTOPHER NORTON Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Wolverhampton KEVIN THEAKSTON Reader in Government, University of Leeds DANIEL WINCOTT Lecturer, Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham

Review :
'A searching and judicious survey of the Major years, showing how the Government's relentless drift to the right inevitably ended in electoral disaster for the Conservative Party. A scholarly and at the same time extremely readable book.' - Lord Gilmour 'John Major will always suffer because of his misfortune in coming after Margaret Thatcher and before Tony Blair. But his premiership lasted for seven years and deserves attention in its own right. This book should be warmly welcomed for providing a detailed analysis of the politics and the policies of the Major era which allows a proper assessment to be made of the Government's successes and failures, and helps to throw some light on the reasons why it all ended in such a catastrophic defeat.' - Andrew Gamble, Professor of Politics, University of Sheffield '...convincing and well written...useful to students and more advanced scholars of this period in British history and of public policy in democratic states.' - Karl H. Cerny, Perspectives on Political Science 'This book provides a well-written and insightful account of many of the themes of John Major's policies and actions...It is written by insightful experts and will be of great value to students.' - Ian davies, Talking Politics '...an important and timely volume which takes our understanding far beyond anything that has so far appeared in print.' - Anthony Seldon, Times Literary Supplement