What Went Wrong with Britain?

An Audit of Tory Failure

Peter Kerr editor Steven Kettell editor Daniela Tepe editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Manchester University Press

Publishing:22nd Jul '25

£20.00

This title is due to be published on 22nd July, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

What Went Wrong with Britain? cover

A unflinching audit of the damage done by fourteen years of Conservative government.

What went wrong with Britain? presents a comprehensive account of the devastating legacy left by the Conservative government. Shining a light into every dark corner, the book exposes the full extent of the damage inflicted on the country’s economy, social fabric and political integrity.

When the Conservatives were voted out of government in July 2024, they left behind a miserable record of rising poverty, inequality and division. This book reveals the forces that have driven the country to the point of crisis, from austerity and economic mismanagement to sheer political dysfunction. Each chapter offers new insights into the far-reaching consequences of government policies that prioritised ideology, personal ambition and party politics over the public good.

Examining the rise of populism, the politics of Brexit, the UK’s response to the pandemic and the steady erosion of public trust, this shocking account of the legacy of Conservative government from 2010 to 2024 is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand exactly what went wrong with Britain.

‘Passionate, provocative and timely – an excoriating across-the-board audit from an impressive line-up of experts and an indispensable resource for anyone who cares about our country and hopes to see it change for the better.’
Tim Bale, author of The Conservative Party after Brexit

‘Inspired, as the authors admit, by frustration and despair, this book nevertheless provides important and acute analytical assessments of what went wrong under the Conservatives.’
Anand Menon, co-author of Brexit and British Politics

ISBN: 9781526170378

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

336 pages