The Labour Party

'Here at last is an authoritative and balanced examination of the character and trajectory of 'New' Labour. Grounding his analysis historically and comparatively, Fielding makes a compelling case for discarding the labels 'Old' and 'New', and for treating the Blair Governments as important moments in the long and developing story of the Labour Party. Steven Fielding has done us all a great service with this well-grounded introduction to the history of the party and the practice of its contemporary leadership.' - David Coates, Worrell Professor of Anglo-American Studies, Wake Forest University 'For students of Britain, Blair, and socialism, this is a valuable work...highly recommended.' - H. Steck, Choice

Setting recent developments in a broader historical context, this major new text on the British Labour Party provides a balanced account of its present state and how it got there.The Blair government is much less novel and distinctive than has been assumed by most commentators who have, Steven Fielding argues, taken too much of its rhetoric at face value. Setting recent developments in a broader historical context, this major new text on the British Labour Party provides a balanced account of its present state and how it got there. The Labour Party is forever changing - though generally within long-established parameters. 'New' Labour is but the latest example of this process.