The authoritative verdict on the impact of the Blair years on British politics and society. At the end of Tony Blair's era as British Prime Minister, this book presents a wide-ranging overview of his achievements and failures in power. Combining serious scholarship with clarity and accessibility, this is the authoritative verdict on the impact of the Blair years on British society. List of contributors xi Preface xvii PART I Politics and government 1 The Blair premiership 3 DENNIS KAVANAGH 2 Parliament 16 PHILIP COWLEY 3 Elections and public opinion 35 JOHN CURTICE 4 Local government 54 TONY TRAVERS 5 Central government 79 PAUL FAWCETT AND R.A.W. RHODES 6 The Constitution 104 PHILIP NORTON 7 Media management 123 RAYMOND KUHN 8 Tony Blair as Labour Party leader 143 RICHARD HEFFERNAN 9 Social democracy 164 VERNON BOGDANOR PART II Economics and finance 10 The Treasury and economic policy 185 PETER SINCLAIR 11 New Labour, new capitalism 214 ROBERT TAYLOR 12 Transport 241 STEPHEN GLAISTER 13 Industrial policy 273 NICHOLAS CRAFTS PART III Policy studies 14 Law and the judiciary 291 MICHAEL BELOFF 15 Crime and penal policy 318 TIM NEWBURN AND ROBERT REINER 16 Immigration 341 SARAH SPENCER 17 Schools 361 ALAN SMITHERS 18 The health and welfare legacy 385 NICK BOSANQUET 19 Equality and social justice 408 KITTY STEWART 20 Culture and attitudes 436 BEN PAGE 21 Higher education 468 JOHN O'LEARY PART IV Wider relations 22 The national question 487 IAIN MCLEAN 23 Ireland: the Peace Process 509 PRANK MILLAR 24 Europe 529 IAN BACHE AND NEILL NUGENT 25 Development 551 RICHARD MANNING 26 Climate change 572 KUNAL KHATRI 27 Foreign policy 593 MICHAEL CLARKE 28 Defence 615 LAWRENCE FREEDMAN Commentary 633 TIMOTHY GARTON ASH Commentary 639 PHILIP STEPHENS Conclusion: The net Blair effect, 1994-2007 645 ANTHONY SELDON Bibliography 651 Index 666