The Labour Party: A Centenary History

by Brian Brivati

Historians, political scientists, and sociologists share the current thinking about the evolution of the party over its first century. They consider trade unions, the parliamentary party, and Labour's electoral strategy along with broader policy issues such as international relations and welfare. The first section is a chronological series of essays; the last examines a number of selected themes. In a middle section, former Labour leaders, cabinet ministers, and backbench members of Parliament offer reflections on the recent regimes of Neil Kinnock, John Smith, and Tony Blair. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Genres: Politics

538 pages, Hardcover

First published May 9, 2000

About the author

Dr Brian Brivati has published extensive work on contemporary British politics with an emphasis on the political history of the British Labour party. His biography of Hugh Gaitskell (Richard Cohen Books, 1996) received 10 book of the year selections. His research and teaching has recently extended to comparative work on genocide and human rights. He speakers regularly for the Holocaust Education Trust. His articles have appeared in the Guardian, the Times, the Financial Times, the Independent on Sunday, the Observer, the New Statesman, Progress, the Fabian Review and Parliamentary Brief. He is a regular broadcaster on political history. He has also written a biography of Lord Goodman (Richard Cohen Books, 1999) and edited The Uncollected Foot: Essays, Old and New, 1953-2003 (Politico's, 2003), Ernest Bevin, single volume edition, by Alan Bullock (Politico's, 2002), Guiding Light: the collected speeches of John Smith (Politico's, 2001), The Labour Party: a Centenary History (Macmillan, 2000), Aneurin Bevan, 1897-1960, single volume edition, by Michael Foot (Victor Gollancz, 1997), and New Labour in Power: precedents and prospects (Routledge, 1997).