A History of the British Labour Party

Praise for previous editions: '...for those who want the facts about the Labour party, this book is a handy, even indispensable reference.' - Joe Haines, Tribune 'This remains the leading text of its kind, updated with some important new material' - Robert Crowcroft, The University of Edinburgh 'Thorpe provides an accessible and well-written evaluation of the ups and down of the Labour Party since 1900. Students of both politics and history will find this a rewarding and enjoyable read as will members of the Labour Party.' - Timothy Heppell, University of Leeds 'Thorpe writes in a clear and accessible manner, ensuring that his work will appeal not only to students of political history but also to a much wider audience seeking to understand the changing fortunes of the Labour Party.' - Emma Bell, Universite de Savoie Mont-Blanc in Cercles 'Jeremy Corbyn's remarkable victory in last summer's leadership contest has reignited historical interest in the British Labour Movement. There is plenty in Andrew Thorpe's admirably lucid, recently updated History of the British Labour Party to help us better understand the party's present travails.' - Patrick Diamond, Queen Mary University of London, in The Times Literary Supplement

Thorpe's book has established itself as the best single-volume study of the whole of the Labour party's history. Now updated in the light of recent debates, this fourth edition brings the story up to the present with a new final chapter on the Brown and Milliband years.After 13 years in power, Labour suddenly returned to being the party of opposition in 2010. This new edition of A History of the British Labour Party brings us up-to-date, examining Gordon Brown's period in office and the Labour Party under the leadership of Ed Miliband. Andrew Thorpe's study has been the leading single-volume text on the Labour Party since its first edition in 1997 and has now been thoroughly revised throughout to include new approaches. This new edition: - Covers the entirety of the party's history, from 1900 to 2014. - Examines the reasons for the party's formation, and its aims. - Analyses the party's successes and failures, including its rise to second party status and remarkable recovery from its problems in the 1980s. - Discusses the main events and personalities of the Labour Party, such as MacDonald, Attlee, Wilson, Blair and Brown. With his approachable style and authoritative manner, Thorpe has created essential reading for students of political history, and anyone wishing to familiarise themselves with the history and development of one of Britain's major political parties.