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Palgrave Macmillan

Building New Labour

The Politics of Party Organisation

  • Book
  • © 2005

Overview

Authors:
  1. Meg Russell

    1. The Constitution Unit, University College London, UK

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 1-9

  3. The Context for Reform

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 10-33

  4. Selecting Candidates and Leaders: The Battle for One Member One Vote

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 34-66

  5. Selection under Blair: The Fall and Rise of One Member One Vote

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 67-95

  6. Women in the Party: The Quiet Revolution

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 96-128

  7. Making Policy

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 129-171

  8. The National Executive Committee

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 172-189

  9. Annual Conference

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 190-213

  10. Reform Frustrated: The Grassroots

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 214-236

  11. Change and the Illusion of Change

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 237-255

  12. Democracy and Power in ‘New’ Labour

    • Meg Russell
    Pages 256-285

  13. Back Matter

    Pages 287-323
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Keywords

About this book

'New' Labour was defined in part by wide-ranging reforms to the party's internal democracy. These included changes to how candidates and leaders are selected, changes to policy making processes, and a programme of 'quotas' that transformed women's representation in the party. In the first book to analyse all these reforms in depth Meg Russell asks what motivated them, to what extent they were driven by leaders or members, and what they can teach us both about party organisational change and the nature of power relations in the Labour Party today.

Reviews

'This is a well judged account of the many recent changes to Labour's democracy. All members who want to know what has really happened to their party should read it.' - Rt Hon. Robin Cook MP, former Cabinet and NEC member

'Exhibiting a profound and subtle grasp of the party, fluently written and grounded in solid research, this book is essential for anyone who wishes to understand the contemporary Labour Party.' - Dr Eric Shaw, University of Stirling, author of The Labour Party Since 1979

'Meg Russell's book makes highly insightful contributions to the academic literature on party politics. Students and experts alike will find it a rewarding read.' - Professor Paul Webb, University of Sussex, Editor of Party Politics

'Clear, well-written and balanced...judicious and fair in its judgement...any student of contemporary politics will find Russell's story both informative and compelling.' - Robert Taylor, Tribune

Authors and Affiliations

  • The Constitution Unit, University College London, UK

    Meg Russell

About the author

MEG RUSSELL is a Senior Research Fellow at the Constitution Unit, University College London, where her specialisms are parliaments and
political parties. In addition to her academic work she has had direct involvement with many aspects of the Labour Party's organisation. From 1996 to 1998 she was the party's National Women's Officer, and from 1998-2001 was an elected member of its National Policy Forum. She has also previously worked as a parliamentary researcher and a government adviser.

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