From Crisis to Coalition

In 2010 the Conservative Party returned to office after over a decade of largely ineffective opposition to New Labour. This book explains why it took so long to recover, and why the party was unable to win an overall majority despite the charismatic leadership of David Cameron. It covers all aspects of Conservative Party politics since 1997. Why did the Conservative Party take so long to recover from its landslide defeat in the 1997 General Election? Why, despite the best efforts of its charismatic leader David Cameron, did the party still fail to win an overall parliamentary majority in the 2010 General Election? Why did it form a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, and what are the prospects for both parties? This book is the first full-length attempt to answer these questions. Written by three leading specialists on the Conservative Party, From Crisis to Coalition provides detailed analysis of key developments within the party since 1997. It is essential reading for all students of British Politics, and for anyone with an interest in contemporary British political history