465 results
Search Results
2. Blair refuses to 'reach for consensus' on White Paper.
- Subjects
EDUCATIONAL change ,EDUCATIONAL innovations ,SCHOOL autonomy - Abstract
This article reports that British Prime Minister Tony Blair has rejected proposed changes to his education reform plans. Blaire warned rebel Member of Parliaments, despite opposition from around 50 Labour Member of Parliaments, that he would not back down on the introduction of Trust Schools and greater school autonomy. The widely trailed alternative paper Shaping the Education Bill: reaching for
- Published
- 2005
3. Government White Paper on Education.
- Subjects
BRITISH education system ,TRUSTS & trustees ,STUDY & teaching of numeracy ,LITERACY ,GUIDELINES ,SCHOOL discipline ,EDUCATION - Abstract
The article reports on measures to improve the British educational system that were promised by British Prime Minister Tony Blair in a white paper in 1997. Local schools will be encouraged to become trusts. The government would create support for numeracy and literacy teaching. Guidelines relating to discipline will be implemented.
- Published
- 2005
4. What the papers say.
- Author
-
Hubbard, Ben
- Subjects
BRITISH education system ,NEWSPAPERS ,MATHEMATICS education ,TEACHERS - Abstract
Provides an overview of stories concerning British education published in several newspapers including "Daily Telegraph," "Guardian" and "The Economist." Criticism against teachers for their lack of knowledge in English and mathematics; Proposed policy of Prime Minister Tony Blair on university fees; Reason of Professor Lord Skidelsky of Warwick University for failing an A-level Russian paper.
- Published
- 2003
5. Leaked paper reveals lack of funds for NHS IT plan.
- Author
-
Collins, Tony
- Subjects
INFORMATION technology ,PUBLIC health - Abstract
Great Britain Prime Minister Tony Blair's plans for an £1.1bn IT-led reform of London's health service must meet a series of "critical" challenges before contracts are awarded, although deals were due to be signed yesterday, according to a leaked NHS document. The paper, which set out a formal business case for an Integrated Care Records Service in London under the £2.3bn national programme for IT, revealed that uncertainties existed over the full cost of its implementation. INSET: Leaked problems.
- Published
- 2003
6. What the papers say.
- Subjects
JOURNALISTS ,JOURNALISM - Abstract
The article discusses several papers written by eminent columnists, that have appeared in different newspapers in Great Britain. Anatole Kaletsky has written a fascinating political analysis of England's government under the headline "Beware the middle-class backlash in Britain." Sketch writer of the newspaper "The Independent," Simon Can has described politician Iain Duncan Smith's efforts as the single worst performance of any parliamentary leader. Columnist Danny Finkelstein in "The Times" has concluded that British Prime Minister Tony Blair had won the battle of the fees.
- Published
- 2002
7. What the papers say.
- Subjects
HEADLINES ,BRITISH education system ,TEACHERS' unions ,CLASS size ,TEACHERS' workload ,SCHOOL budgets ,BRITISH schools - Abstract
Presents information on headlines from various newspapers pertaining to issues on education in Great Britain as of 2003. Threat of action by teachers over tests and job cuts; Conflict between teachers' unions and British Prime Minister Tony Blair on class sizes, tests and workload; Failure of the government to fund schools properly.
- Published
- 2003
8. What the papers say.
- Author
-
Coryton, Demitri
- Subjects
BRITISH education system ,NEWSPAPERS ,SCHOOLS ,MUNICIPAL services - Abstract
Presents a summary of newspaper headlines about education in Great Britain as of June 205, 2004. "Daily Mail" headline on the reaction of parents and teachers to the construction of mobile phone masts near Yorkshire schools in England; Consolidation of schools in Scotland, reported in the "Glasgow Herald"; Decision of Prime Minister Tony Blair and Michael Howard, leader of the opposition in the British Parliament, to put public services at the top of their agenda, reported in the "Telegraph" and "Guardian."
- Published
- 2004
9. Secret papers reveal Blair rushed NHS IT.
- Author
-
Collins, Tony
- Subjects
INFORMATION technology projects ,PRIME ministers ,MEDICAL informatics ,ONLINE information services ,MEDICAL records ,ELECTIONS - Abstract
The article reports that papers obtained under the Freedom of Information Act of Great Britain show that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair had sought to shorten the timetable for the National Health Service (NHS) information technology (IT) program. Papers show that the Department of Health underestimated the time it would take to make electronic patient records available online. But Blair regarded even the 2004/05 timescale as too long. He asked repeatedly for it to be shortened, which would have brought visible benefits in time for a general election in May 2005. The papers raise questions about whether the timetable was geared towards a general election.
- Published
- 2008
10. New Labour: A Study of the Creation, Development and Demise of a Political Brand.
- Author
-
White, Jon and de Chernatony, Leslie
- Subjects
POLITICAL parties ,BRITISH prime ministers ,POLITICAL communication ,COALITION governments ,PRACTICAL politics ,MASS media - Abstract
This paper examines the use made by political parties of branding, as a means of establishing party values and winning political support. It looks in particular at the way in which political parties use communication to create, build and maintain political brands. The paper involves an examination of the recent history of the British Labour Party. After a long period in the political wilderness, the party rebranded itself as New Labour in the mid-1990s, and-as New Labour- swept to power in a landslide election victory in 1997, under their new leader, Tony Blair. Using media coverage and material written by some of the architects of New Labour, the paper will describe the creation of the New Labour brand, and look at how it was developed and used to generate political support. The paper will also consider the evolution and development of the brand, as the substance underlying the stated brand values has come to be questioned, not least by so-called Old Labour supporters of the party. The paper will draw conclusions regarding the successful management of a political brand, pointing in particular at the need to ensure that the performance of a party espousing a particular brand supports and reinforces communicated brand values and the brand itself. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2002
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. From Knowledge Economy to Automation Anxiety: A Growth Regime in Crisis?
- Author
-
O'Donovan, Nick
- Subjects
INFORMATION economy ,GOVERNMENT policy ,AUTOMATION ,SOCIAL impact ,TECHNOLOGICAL progress - Abstract
In the 1990s, the 'knowledge economy' was hailed as a key driver of future prosperity by progressive policymakers in developed democracies. According to its proponents, in the knowledge economy, companies and countries alike would succeed by cultivating workers' knowledge – as opposed to traditional forms of capital such as plant and machinery. This had radical implications for public policy, implying that education reform and other supply-side interventions could deliver inclusivity as well as prosperity. Today, however, this benevolent vision of the social and economic impacts of technological progress has been superseded by an altogether more dystopian view, associated with automation and the rise of artificial intelligence, as well as transformations in the digital economy and the evolving nature of globalisation. This paper analyses that transition. It charts the key assumptions of the knowledge economy concept, through an intellectual history that focuses on how these ideas manifested themselves in the rhetoric of the UK Government under Tony Blair. It then shows how evolving understandings of the digital economy, technological progress and globalisation challenge these assumptions, and the policy agenda that was premised on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. What the papers say.
- Author
-
Hubbard, Ben
- Subjects
BRITISH education system ,NEWSPAPERS ,EDUCATIONAL finance ,A-level examinations - Abstract
Focuses on some reports concerning issues on education in Great Britain that was published by newspapers in the country. Observation on the issue on tuition fees in "The Times"; Position taken by Prime Minister Tony Blair on the issue on tuition fees featured in "Independent"; Views on the report of Mike Tomlinson on A-level examinations.
- Published
- 2002
13. Paper linking MMR jab to autism questioned.
- Author
-
Butler, Richard
- Subjects
VACCINE research ,MEASLES ,MUMPS ,RUBELLA ,DISEASES ,AUTISM - Abstract
Reports on investigations conducted on a research on the link of combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism prior to the allegations of a conflict of interest in 2004. Payment received by Andrew Wakefield, author of the paper, from a lawyer to provide an evidence which would support a case of a child who suffered autism due to the MMR vaccine; Remarks from British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the issue.
- Published
- 2004
14. Making teaching a 21st century profession: Tony Blair's big prize.
- Author
-
Furlong, John
- Subjects
EDUCATION policy ,BRITISH education system ,TEACHER training ,ECONOMIC policy ,EDUCATIONAL accountability - Abstract
From his very earliest days in office, Tony Blair believed that if he was to achieve his broader educational reforms then the teaching profession itself needed modernising—it had to become a '21st century profession'. This paper charts the background to this aspiration and the complex range of interrelated policies used to achieve that reform. They included: a changed role for initial teacher education; a more differentiated workforce; strategies to 'focus' professionalism (appraisal, standards and CPD); and a redefinition of professional knowledge. Through these policies, the Government hoped to harness teacher professionalism to their broader reform agenda. The paper concludes with a discussion of Tony Blair's legacy in this field both in England and internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. What the papers say.
- Subjects
BRITISH education system ,CABINET officers ,STUDENTS - Abstract
Presents information on several events and issues related to education in Great Britain as of May 13, 2005. Reorganization of the Cabinet members of Prime Minister Tony Blair; Accusation against Prince Harry that he received help from teachers in his exams; Case of a child who was prevented from attending the school because his parents did not fill in the application form properly.
- Published
- 2005
16. What the papers say.
- Subjects
BRITISH education system ,NEWSPAPERS ,SUICIDE ,SCHOOL bullying - Abstract
Focuses on some reports concerning issues on education in Great Britain that was published by newspapers in the country. Comment of "The Times" writer Daniel Finkelstein on the exchange between Prime Minister Tony Blair and Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith; Overview of the article written by Victoria Summerley at the June 12, 2003 issue of "Independent"; Brief on the story of a 16 year-old student who committed suicide after a lifetime of being bullied.
- Published
- 2003
17. US-UK Relations: The Current Situation and Prospects for the Future.
- Author
-
Dumbrell, John
- Subjects
- *
INTERNATIONAL relations , *PRIME ministers - Abstract
This paper will begin with an assessment of the current state of the US-UK âspecial relationshipâ. It will argue that the âspecialâ nature of the relationship exists in the realms of institutionalised defence co-operation and intelligence sharing. The paper will review other accounts of the âspecialnessâ of the relationship, including cultural arguments. The paper will argue that âspecialâ relations were receding in the 1990s, following the end of the Cold War and the sharpening of the European integration agenda. The relationship was renewed, so the paper will argue, as a result of the commitment of Prime Minister Tony Blair both to the relationship itself, and to the doctrine of liberal internationalism/interventionism.The second part of the paper will look forward to US-UK relations in the post-Blair and post-Bush eras. Developments in Conservative Party thinking on the âspecial relationshipâ will be reviewed, along with prospects for US-UK relations under Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The relationship will also be examined in connection with the likely trajectory of US foreign policy in the next ten or so years. The conclusion will be that âspecialnessâ in the relationship is likely to decline in line with the expectations that attended the close of the Cold War in the early 1990s. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
18. What the papers say.
- Subjects
BRITISH education system ,EDITORIALS - Abstract
Presents updates on education in Great Britain as May 6, 2005. Candidate persuaded by Education Secretary candidate Ruth Kelly to withdraw from the election in Bolton West, England; Views of British Prime Minister Tony Blair on secondary education; Information on an editorial published by "The Times" newspaper regarding education.
- Published
- 2005
19. Michael Howard's Effectiveness as Leader of the Opposition.
- Author
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Barker, Ray
- Subjects
- *
POLITICAL opposition , *ELECTIONS ,BRITISH prime ministers - Abstract
This paper examines the circumstances under which Michael Howard became leader of the British Conservative Party in November 2003, and analyzes his effectiveness as Leader of the Opposition through the general election of 5 May 2005. Howard inherited a party bitterly divided over its leadership, its policy direction, and its future. After immediately establishing his credibility as a fearsome debater at the dispatch box in parliamentary debates with Prime Minister Tony Blair, he established a vision for Britain in his "British Dream" speech. While staying true to Conservative principles of fair play, choice, and expanded opportunity, he offered a framework for the policies the Tories would put before the British people at the 2005 general election. Ultimately, the Conservative Party's 2005 Election Manifesto emphasized six themes: 1) More Police, 2) Cleaner Hospitals, 3) Lower Taxes, 4) School Discipline, 5) Controlled Immigration, and 6) Accountability. The main argument of this paper is that those themes were chosen because they represented areas of policy where Howard had provided an effective critique of government policy and had established a realistic alternative. This paper details Howard's effectiveness in holding the Labour Government of Tony Blair to account.After exploring the enormity and dimensions of Howard's task as Leader of the Opposition, this paper concludes that he deserves enormous credit for leading the Conservative Party out of the political wilderness, and that he effectively established a credible alternative to New Labour. While the current leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, has recently been given much credit for the revival of his party, Michael Howard's contributions should not be underestimated. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
20. What the papers say.
- Subjects
BRITISH education system ,HISTORY ,HIGHER education - Abstract
Presents an update on several issues concerning British education as of July 12, 2002. Controversies regarding the private tuition of the children of British Prime Minister Tony Blair; Observations on the increase in the interest of university students in history courses.
- Published
- 2002
21. The Year in British Politics: Did the Ground Move?
- Author
-
Grant, Wyn P.
- Subjects
- *
POLITICAL science , *ECONOMIC policy ,BRITISH politics & government - Abstract
This paper reviews the last year in British politics with an emphasis on government, complementing Anthony King’s presentation on politics. It covers the tense relationship between Prime Minister Blair and Chancellor Brown; the Butler Report; the role of the Bank of England in economic policy-making; the effective delivery of public services, especially health; and the role of Britain in the EU. It concludes by suggesting that there is a new upsurge of populist opposition to the political class in Britain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. What the papers say.
- Author
-
Marshall, Michael
- Subjects
- *
NEWSPAPERS , *EXAMINATIONS , *SCHOOL field trips - Abstract
Deals with the issues featured in newspapers in Great Britain in February 2005. Information on how newspapers treated issues concerning a live television appearance of Prime Minister Tony Blair; Condition of the examination system in England; Plan of British Education Secretary Ruth Kelly to promote school trips.
- Published
- 2005
23. United Kingdom Education 1997–2001.
- Author
-
GLENNERSTER, HOWARD
- Subjects
EDUCATION policy ,ACADEMIC achievement ,HIGHER education ,TECHNOLOGICAL innovations ,INTERNAL revenue - Abstract
This paper reviews the achievements of the Labour government's education policy between 1997 and 2001. Tony Blair claimed that his government would make education a priority. The first part of the paper reviews the scale of education spending in relation to the economy at large and within the education budget. The second part of the paper looks at the productivity of schools. How far have the changes that have affected schools in the past 10 years, and in the past 5 years in particular, had an impact on the quality of school achievements? The paper suggests there have been significant improvements, not just on average but especially in the gains made in poor areas and in the least good schools. Finally the paper discusses the funding of higher education, the introduction of income‐related loans to cover maintenance, and up‐front fees. The paper concludes that some serious errors were made in policy design. Even so, the use of the Inland Revenue as the collection agency was a successful innovation and should be built upon. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2002
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Her Majesty's paper clips.
- Author
-
Maguire, Kevin
- Subjects
- *
PRIME minister elections ,BRITISH politics & government, 1997-2007 - Abstract
The article provides commentary on British politics. Correspondence between Queen Elizabeth II and member of Parliament Peter "Killa" Kilfoyle is highlighted as well as the possibility that Prime Minster Tony Blair's political secretary, John McFixer might face allegations of political misconduct. Comments made by Phil Collins, Blair's speech writer, regarding the possibility of Gordon Brown becoming the next Prime Minister are critiqued.
- Published
- 2006
25. Media, Priming, and Leadership Evaluations in Britain.
- Author
-
Stevens, Daniel, Banducci, Susan, Karp, Jeffrey, and Vowles, Jack
- Subjects
- *
POLITICAL leadership , *MEDIA effects theory (Communication) , *MASS media influence , *ELECTIONS in mass media , *PARTISANSHIP , *ELECTIONS - Abstract
While priming is often mentioned in studies of media effects in Britain, empirical tests of the mediaâs capacity to prime are lacking. Similarly, despite the recent claim that evaluations of party leaders in Britain are more important to voting behavior than previously thought, little is known about whether or how the media influence those evaluations. In this paper we examine media priming in British elections. Our analysis will demonstrate that there were some strong, dynamic, media effects on perceptions of Tony Blair in 2001 and 2005, both as a direct consequence of the amount of coverage of an issue and via priming. These effects appear stronger than the mediaâs capacity to set the agenda in either election. We will also examine the impact of the tone of coverage of issues on priming effects and explore short-term and cumulative effects of media coverage, in keeping with recent literature. Our findings thus far are at odds with claims that British elections are too short and British newspapers too partisan for there to be media effects beyond partisan reinforcement. Our analysis of the short-term and cumulative effects of media coverage on priming will also provide a unique examination of their influence outside the US. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
26. New Labour's Class Project: Industrial Relations Policy and its Consequences, 1997-2005.
- Author
-
Howell, Chris
- Subjects
- *
POLITICAL parties , *INDUSTRIAL relations , *LABOR market , *SOCIAL classes , *PRIME ministers - Abstract
This paper examines the class project of New Labour, ten years after first coming to power, through the lens of industrial relations policy. It goal is to identify to what extent a distinctive "Third Way" approach to regulating class relations and the labor market existed during the period when Tony Blair was prime minister. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
27. Blair's War: Institutional and Individual Determinants of the British Choice in Iraq.
- Author
-
Dyson, Stephen Benedict and Lawrence, Brianna K.
- Subjects
- *
WAR , *INTERNATIONAL relations , *POWER (Social sciences) , *CONTROL (Psychology) - Abstract
The article presents the conference paper "Blair's War: Institutional and Individual Determinants of the British Choice in Iraq" prepared for presentation at the "46th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association" in Honolulu, Hawaii. The author utilizes the core executive approach in assessing the British central government and emphasizes the specific form it takes in foreign policy matters. It says that British Prime Minister Tony Blair scored very highly in need for power and in terms of his belief in ability to control events.
- Published
- 2005
28. Media Watch.
- Author
-
Marshall, Michael
- Subjects
MASS media ,EDUCATIONAL standards ,EDUCATIONAL change ,SCHOOLS ,RIOTS - Abstract
Reports on the media coverage about the white paper in education standards in Great Britain in October 2005. Views of British Prime Minister Tony Blair on educational reforms; Proposals for a trust school; Arguments on the correlation of riots in Birmingham, England with the building of faith schools.
- Published
- 2005
29. Education committee fails to agree on white paper.
- Author
-
Russell, Vivienne
- Subjects
EDUCATIONAL change ,EDUCATIONAL planning ,SCHOOL improvement programs - Abstract
The article reports on the failure of the Commons education committee to agree on a response to the government's proposed school reforms in Great Britain. The proposed school reform call schools to admit set numbers of disadvantage children. Meanwhile, Great Britain Prime Minister Tony Blair was determined to push through his reforms. In addition, the founder of the educational charity the Sutton Trust has doubted the credibility of Blair to get the white paper through.
- Published
- 2006
30. UK development policy and domestic politics 1997–2016.
- Author
-
Clarke, Gerard
- Subjects
BRITISH economic assistance ,BRITISH politics & government, 1945- ,ELECTIONS - Abstract
Debate surrounds the relative importance of development aid and development policy in donor efforts to support international development. Likewise, the literature on UK development policy points to its putative stability and consistency over time. Both perspectives, however, underplay the political contention which characterises UK development policy and its variable effects. This article, therefore, examines UK development policy between 1997 and 2016 and the varying extent to which it gave rise to contentious politics over time. It explores three politically-significant periods in the context of UK development policy between 1997 and 2016: the first between 1997 and 2003, characterised, I argue, by political consensus and managed contention; a second between 2003 and 2010, characterised by transition and emerging political contention; and a third, between 2010 and 2016, characterised by contentious politics and political fracturing. I associate the first period with effective political vision and direction and the third with a significant erosion of both, to the detriment of UK development policy and its efficacy. In conclusion, I argue that UK development policy has been most effective when it has been underpinned by a clear and consensual political vision. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Better government white paper delayed.
- Author
-
Walker, David
- Subjects
BRITISH prime ministers ,PUBLIC administration - Abstract
Focuses on the delay of the publication of the `Better Government' paper in Great Britain. Rivalry between the Department of Treasury and Prime Minister Tony Blair about the paper; Focus of the paper; Reason for the delay of the publication.
- Published
- 1998
32. Young people and voting behaviour: alienated youth and (or) an interested and critical citizenry?
- Author
-
Dermody, Janine, Hanmer-Lloyd, Stuart, and Scullion, Richard
- Subjects
POLITICAL attitudes ,VOTING ,ELECTIONS ,PRIME ministers - Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of trust, cynicism and efficacy on young peoples' (non)voting behaviour during the 2005 British general election. Design/methodology/approach - Survey data were gathered from 1,134 interviewer-administered questionnaires with young first-time voters during the three-week period following the British general election in May 2005. Validated attitudes statements were used to measure their levels of trust, cynicism and efficacy. Findings - The research shows that young people are generally distrusting of and very cynical about politicians and the Prime Minister (Tony Blair) Thus, in part, the data support the existing evidence that cynicism contributes to feelings of political alienation. However, the paper's findings also indicate that while young people can be highly distrusting and cynical, they can also be interested in the election and vote. Research limitations/implications - Current, negative evaluations of young people and electoral politics need to be reviewed. While, it cannot be denied that this age group are highly cynical, and their electoral participation is in decline, for some, this cynicism, when combined with personal efficacy, can act as a positive force to stimulate "monitorial" interaction with election offerings. Consequently, further research is needed to understand young peoples' perceptions of democracy and electoral politics, how their personal efficacy can be increased and what feeds their cynicism. Originality/value - This paper offers a contemporary understanding of young people as an interested and critical citizenry and raises a number of important questions that set a new agenda for political marketers researching youth electoral engagement in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. EDUCATION, POWER AND FREEDOM: THIRD WAY GOVERNMENTALITY, CITIZEN-CONSUMERS AND THE SOCIAL MARKET.
- Author
-
Peters, Michael A.
- Subjects
SOCIAL marketing ,LEGAL status of social workers ,EDUCATIONAL law & legislation ,INDUSTRIAL relations ,LABOR laws ,CIVIL service - Abstract
This paper traces the emergence and demise of the Third Way using Foucault's thought to investigate the governmentality of Third Way politics in terms of its techniques of governing focusing on the construction of the citizen-consumer, the social market, and the reform of public services, especially in the context of Tony Blair's New Labor administration in the UK. On this basis the paper makes some broad comments about education, power and freedom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
34. TAMING THE ‘AWKWARD STATE’? THE CHANGING FACE OF EUROPEAN POLICY-MAKING UNDER BLAIR.
- Author
-
JAMES, SCOTT
- Subjects
POLICY sciences ,BRITISH politics & government, 1997-2007 ,FEDERAL government - Abstract
This paper analyses the important changes to the European Union (EU) policy-making process within the UK core executive introduced by the Blair government between 1997 and 2007. Employing a strategic-relational network framework, it sets out to map the changing face of policy-making within the Whitehall EU network, and to evaluate and explain the impact of adaptation. The article argues that Labour's reform strategy has been double-edged: day-to-day coordination of EU policy has become increasingly informal, ad hoc and delegated downwards to departmental players while the role of the centre has been greatly strengthened in order to provide more effective strategic direction and political leadership. Despite these seemingly coherent reforms, however, many critical features of the process have been potentially detrimental to the projection of a more constructive European policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Interpreting the Blair Government's Policy-making on European Monetary Union: An Examination of Public Policy Theories.
- Author
-
Luo, Chih-Mei
- Subjects
POLICY analysis ,MONETARY policy ,BRITISH politics & government, 1997-2007 - Abstract
This paper is an investigation of policy-making by the Blair government on the issue of the UK's European Monetary Union (EMU)/Eurozone membership. The Blair government inherited a 'wait and see' policy from its predecessor, and introduced its own variations in the detail of this policy. In particular, five economic tests were invented and placed at the centre of EMU policy-making, in order to depoliticise the political risks during a general election and referendum while also serving the needs of party management. This paper applies four well-known theories of policy-making to the EMU policy case: the broker state pluralist model, instrumental Marxism, the core executive model and rational choice theory. This paper demonstrates that each model possesses a degree of applicability, but argues that instrumental Marxism seems the most appropriate theoretical model among those examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Speaking to power: Tony Blair, complex multicultures and fragile white English identities.
- Author
-
WETHERELL, MARGARET
- Subjects
IDENTITY (Psychology) ,MULTICULTURALISM ,NATIONAL character ,RACIAL identity of white people - Abstract
This paper reflects on one example of knowledge transfer conducted by the ESRC Identities and Social Action Programme which involved briefing Tony Blair for his December 2006 speech on multiculturalism and extremism. Two key themes in the report prepared for Blair and his speech-writer are described - the nature of contemporary complex multicultures and the 'fragility' of white English identities. These are contrasted with themes in Blair's speech which, in general, celebrated (white) British national character and took a traditional 'divided communities' perspective on UK multiculturalism while introducing further measures to encourage 'integration'. The paper describes the dilemmas and challenges faced in formulating a report for this context, in particular issues about developing a narrative in a highly contested field, complicity with power and credentials to speak. It argues, too, that although ostensibly an exceptional opportunity, more mundane acts of knowledge transfer might be more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Lessons from the History and Philosophy of Science regarding the Research Assessment Exercise.
- Author
-
GILLIES, DONALD
- Subjects
RESEARCH methodology ,POLITICAL leadership - Abstract
The Research Assessment Exercise (henceforth abbreviated to RAE) was introduced in 1986 by Thatcher, and was continued by Blair. So it has now been running for 21 years. During this time, the rules governing the RAE have changed considerably, and the interval between successive RAEs has also varied. These changes are not of great importance as far as the argument of this paper is concerned. We will concentrate on the main features of the RAE which can be summarised as follows. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. The Labour Government and the National Health Service.
- Author
-
LE GRAND, JULIAN
- Subjects
MEDICAL care - Abstract
This paper reviews the performance of the National Health Service under the Labour government of Tony Blair. It shows that there have been some dramatic increases in resources going into the service, but also that these do not seem to be delivering the improvements in activities that might have been expected. The paper argues that this is partly because of capacity constraints, but also because the mixture of organizational forms introduced by the government has resulted in misdirected and conflicting incentive structures for the key actors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2002
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Representing rurality? New Labour and the electoral geography of rural Britain.
- Author
-
Ward, Neil
- Subjects
RURAL development ,POLITICAL parties - Abstract
The first Blair administration faced clamorous criticism from some lobby groups for its handling of rural issues. Yet Labour has presented itself as a ‘one–nation’ party representing both urban and rural areas. This paper examines the basis of recent claims about the parliamentary representation of rural Britain, and analyzes the results of the last two General Elections. It illustrates how the malleability of the category of ‘rural’ allows for contrasting claims about rural representation, and highlights the continuity of party representation among those constituencies located outside the main urban areas in the 1997 and 2001 parliaments, despite regular rural protest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2002
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Still Blair's Party.
- Author
-
Guttenplan, D. D.
- Subjects
IRAQ War, 2003-2011 ,BRITISH politics & government, 1997-2007 ,EDITORIALS ,ACTIVISTS ,CONFERENCES & conventions - Abstract
The author comments on British politics and Tony Blair. The first thing I saw when I walked through the labyrinth of security checkpoints at the annual Labour Party Conference here was a young man in a black CBGBs T-shirt and baggy jeans on a big video screen talking about Iraq. This was a conference where no detail of presentation was left to chance, speakers remained relentlessly "on message" and the few outlets for dissent were as carefully choreographed as any Soviet-era festival of unity. One delegate who refused to join in the customary standing ovation following Prime Minister Tony Blair's speech and instead held up a sheet of paper saying I'm Sitting Down for Peace was forcibly removed from the hall by police. The vast majority of the British people never supported going to war in the first place, yet once British troops commenced hostilities even Charles Kennedy, the Liberal Democrat leader who'd led parliamentary opposition to the war, fell in line behind the government. We can't vote Blair out--his surprise announcement, on the last day of the Labour conference, that he will resign at the end of his next term in office was a superb coup de théâtre, knocking Iraq and Ken Bigley clean off the front pages, as well as a reminder that Blair's power has become personal, no longer a gift of the party.
- Published
- 2004
41. Editorial.
- Author
-
Marshall, Michael
- Subjects
EDUCATIONAL standards ,EDUCATIONAL change ,PARENTS ,GREAT Britain. Local Education Authority - Abstract
Focuses on the schools White Paper about education standards in Great Britain. Position of British Prime Minister Tony Blair on educational reforms of the paper; Emphasis of the paper on parental choice on schools; Impact of the white paper on the role of the British Local Education Authority.
- Published
- 2005
42. Column/RUSI forum.
- Subjects
DEFENSE industries ,ENERGY industries ,POLITICAL risk (Foreign investments) ,MANAGEMENT - Abstract
The article offers Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) defense and security news briefs. The institute will host a defence lecture by Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain on January 12, 2007 in the Plymouth area which will be open to members. RUSI announces the publication of a Whitehall Paper "The Ascendancy of Political Risk Management and its Implications for Global Security and Business Investment," by Peter Truscott which examines the defence and energy sectors.
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Yes, Prime Minister: Power, Personality, and the Blair Administration's Iraq Decisions.
- Author
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Dyson, Stephen Benedict
- Subjects
- *
PERSONALITY , *LEADERSHIP , *INTERNATIONAL relations ,BRITISH prime ministers - Abstract
This article focuses on the relationship between the personality and leadership style of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the participation of Great Britain in the war in Iraq. The research reemphasizes the importance of individual level factors in theories of foreign policy, as well as offering a comprehensive explanation of a critical episode.
- Published
- 2005
44. Justifications and Motives: The Road to Basra.
- Author
-
Coates, David
- Subjects
- *
MILITARY invasion , *COALITIONS , *IRAQ War, 2003-2011 , *MILITARY relations - Abstract
Traces the policy route that took the UK into the coalition of the willing, and UK troops into Basra. Provides a critical assessment of the strength and weaknesses, rationales, and justifications used by the Blair government to join the United States in the invasion of Iraq, despite the nearly universal opposition of other major governments--as well as much of the British electorate and the Labur Party-- to military action without UN endorsement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
45. Blair’s Warlike Humanitarianism.
- Author
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Vickers, Rhiannon
- Subjects
- *
HUMANITARIANISM , *INTERNATIONAL relations , *SEPTEMBER 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001 , *COUNTERTERRORISM - Abstract
Traces the rise and decline of New Labour’s efforts to develop and implement an ethical foreign policy from its initial commitments to advance more internationalist and multilateral solutions in an open and inclusive process, through 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq, and concluding with the resignation of Robin Cook. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
46. New Labour Legacy: Comparing the Labour Governments of Blair and Brown to Labour Governments since 1945.
- Author
-
MULLARD, MAURICE and SWARAY, RAYMOND
- Subjects
BRITISH politics & government, 1945- ,PUBLIC finance ,HISTORY of public finance - Abstract
The election of the Conservative-Liberal coalition in May 2010 provides the opportunity to start to map out the record of the Labour governments between 1997 and 2010. This paper deals with the specific question how the Brown/Blair governments performed on public expenditures when compared to the records of UK Labour governments since 1945. Did the public expenditure record of the 1997 represent a departure from that of previous Labour governments? This is important to ascertain since there are strongly held beliefs that New Labour was not committed to Labour's historic commitments of income redistribution and universal benefits. The analysis that follows is constructed around five major public expenditure programmes that reflect Labour's priorities. These include total expenditure, expenditure on health, education, housing and social security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. The reputation of the party leader and of the party being led.
- Author
-
Davies, Gary and Mian, Takir
- Subjects
POLITICAL leadership ,POLITICAL parties ,ELECTIONS ,POLITICAL participation - Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the similarity of the reputation of political leaders with those of their parties and to assess the claim of causal links. Design/methodology/approach - A multidimensional measure of brand personality is used to measure the reputation among voters of the three main parties and their leaders in two surveys each prior to British General Elections in 2001 and 2005. Findings - The reputations of leader and party are highly correlated, but statistically distinct in both studies. The leader's reputation appears to influence that of the party more than vice versa. However, the decline in Tony Blair's reputation between 2001 and 2005 appears to have influenced more those loyal to other parties. Research limitations/implications - Further work would be useful to compare the relative value of cognitive and affective measures of reputation, particularly in predicting voting behaviour. Practical implications - The findings emphasise the role of the leader's reputation in managing that of a political party. A change of leader will, inevitably, produce a change in party reputation. The two reputations interact and monitoring such effects will require similar ways of measuring both. Originality/value - Links between the reputations of organisations and their leaders have been claimed but never demonstrated empirically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. A Comparative Analysis of British Elections in 2001 and 2005: Same Outcome, Different Recipe? The Labour Strategy.
- Author
-
Ioannides, Petros
- Subjects
ELECTIONS ,POLITICAL science research ,BRITISH politics & government, 1945- ,POLITICAL campaigns - Abstract
This paper examines the campaign strategies of the Labour Party in Great Britain during the elections of 2001 and 2005. Using comparative analysis, this research investigates the factors that contributed to the election results. Beginning with the issues that the party raised in both campaigns, evaluating the polls before the elections, and counting the leadership of Tony Blair, the author will try to come to a conclusion by comparing the two elections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. POLICING WITH A SMILE: NARRATIVES OF CONSUMERISM IN NEW LABOUR’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY.
- Author
-
NEEDHAM, CATHERINE
- Subjects
MUNICIPAL services ,CRIMINAL justice policy ,CONSUMERISM ,BRITISH politics & government, 2007- - Abstract
A recurrent theme in New Labour’s public service reforms has been a tendency to orient services to the user as a consumer or customer of those services. However a consumerist approach – and particularly the ‘customer is always right’ imperative – appears problematic in relation to criminal justice. This article uses content analysis to explore the use of consumerist narratives by selected members of the UK criminal justice policy network (Prime Minister, Home Office and local government). It finds that the terms customer and consumer are used less in relation to criminal justice than they are in relation to other public services. When used, it is ‘law-abiding citizens’, particularly victims and witnesses, that are the priority customers of the service. Customer-orientated policing is primarily about standardizing services and encouraging more coproductive behaviours. The language of choice and personalization, which has come to characterize New Labour’s approach to public service reform, has as yet had little penetration into criminal justice. However, the policy network is fragmented, with different narratives of consumerism emerging from Tony Blair (the then Prime Minister), the Home Office and local government, demonstrating the contingent ways in which policy-makers draw on historical traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Realising the potential of new technology? Assessing the legacy of New Labour's ICT agenda 1997-2007.
- Author
-
Selwyn, Neil
- Subjects
EDUCATIONAL technology ,EDUCATION policy ,BRITISH education system ,BRITISH politics & government, 1997-2007 ,SOCIAL policy - Abstract
'Realising the potential of new technology' was one of the central educational themes of New Labour's 1997 election manifesto, with 'information and communications technology' (ICT) established subsequently as a prominent feature of the Blair administration policy portfolio. As such New Labour can claim rightly to have made an unprecedented and sustained political commitment to technology in education, directing over £5 billion of funding towards educational ICT during the 1997 to 2007 period. Yet the fact remains that the New Labour ICT agenda has failed to achieve the much promised technological 'transformation' of the UK education system. With this in mind the present paper develops the argument that New Labour's concern with educational ICT was driven primarily by concerns over enhancing competitiveness in a globalising economy, creating a lifelong learning system fit for a successful knowledge economy and modernising the formal education sector. Thus whilst New Labour's ICT agenda may well have had the short term impact of increasing the physical presence of ICT resources in all education institutions, its longer-term educational legacy was compromised by the wider macro-level issues it purported to address. As such the legacy of this high-profile segment of policy-making should be seen primarily in terms of establishing ICT as an ideological presence in the UK education system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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