Failure in British Government The Politics of the Poll Tax

by Butler, David; Adonis, Andrew; Travers, Tony

• ISBN13: 9780198278764
• ISBN10: 0198278764
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1995-02-09
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Reviled by the public and disowned by most of its authors, the poll tax is the most celebrated disaster in post-war British politics. This book tells for the first time the full and gripping story of the policy that toppled the century's longest-serving Prime Minister and brought grandmothers into the streets in protest. Drawing on unique access to the often conflicting accounts of many of the leading players, the authors paint an extraordinary picture of the journey of the poll tax from conception to demise. The authors assess the light the affair casts on the workings of British government, and draw conclusions that are just as compelling as the events they describe. Looking at each of the main government institutions in turn, they show how the entire episode undermines the conventional wisdom about the workings of British government.

Author Biography

David Butler is Emeritus Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford. Andrew Ddonis is Industry Correspondent for the Financial Times. Tony Travers is Director of Research, Greater London Group, London School of Economics.

Table of Contents

List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Cartoons
Introduction	p. 1
The Rise and Fall of the Poll Tax
Prologue, 1377-1984	p. 11
Gestation, 1984-1985	p. 41
Birth, 1985-1986	p. 70
Enactment, 1986-1988	p. 88
Implementation, 1988-1990	p. 126
Collapse 1990-1994	p. 154
The Poll Tax and British Government
Cabinet	p. 187
Civil Service	p. 206
Parliament	p. 224
Public Opinion	p. 246
Local Government	p. 265
Questions	p. 286
Conclusion	p. 302
Appendix 1. Chronology	p. 307
Appendix 2. Key People and Events	p. 313
Appendix 3. Gains and losses by household type and income level (1981 Green Paper)	p. 314
Bibliography	p. 316
Index	p. 325
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.