Ken Jones is Professor of Education at Goldsmiths, University of London

"A fine job has been achieved in expanding the scope of the original book, moving to include not merely developments in the further and higher education sectors - the previous edition mostly centred on secondary schooling - but also those seismic changes fllowing the first term of Tony Blair's landmark administration from 1997- 2001."—John Howelett, University of Keele, History of Education"The second edition of Ken Jones’s book offers an erudite and nuanced analysis of the political economy of education policy in modern Britain. Its balance of insight and detail makes it essential and necessary reading for education policy students and researchers and hopefully for those others who stride boldly and often ill-informed in the 'educational space' - policymakers!"—Stephen Ball, Institute of Education, UCL"Ken Jones' account of the divergence of the education systems of Britain’s four nations is both analytically sophisticated and deeply engaging. Anyone who wants to understand the current state of education in Britain should read this beautifully crafted and highly nuanced history of the struggles and collisions that have taken us to this place. Whilst much of the story is depressing, the book is a pleasure to read."—Sharon Gewirtz, King's College London

• Introduction1 Post-War Settlements2 The Golden Age?3 Expansion, Experiment, Conflict4 The Watershed: Conservatism and Educational Change5 New Labour: The Inheritors6 Crisis and OpportunityReferences

Ken Jones is Professor of Education at Goldsmiths, University of London

"A fine job has been achieved in expanding the scope of the original book, moving to include not merely developments in the further and higher education sectors - the previous edition mostly centred on secondary schooling - but also those seismic changes fllowing the first term of Tony Blair's landmark administration from 1997- 2001."—John Howelett, University of Keele, History of Education"The second edition of Ken Jones’s book offers an erudite and nuanced analysis of the political economy of education policy in modern Britain. Its balance of insight and detail makes it essential and necessary reading for education policy students and researchers and hopefully for those others who stride boldly and often ill-informed in the 'educational space' - policymakers!"—Stephen Ball, Institute of Education, UCL"Ken Jones' account of the divergence of the education systems of Britain’s four nations is both analytically sophisticated and deeply engaging. Anyone who wants to understand the current state of education in Britain should read this beautifully crafted and highly nuanced history of the struggles and collisions that have taken us to this place. Whilst much of the story is depressing, the book is a pleasure to read."—Sharon Gewirtz, King's College London

• Introduction1 Post-War Settlements2 The Golden Age?3 Expansion, Experiment, Conflict4 The Watershed: Conservatism and Educational Change5 New Labour: The Inheritors6 Crisis and OpportunityReferences

Ken Jones is Professor of Education at Goldsmiths, University of London

"A fine job has been achieved in expanding the scope of the original book, moving to include not merely developments in the further and higher education sectors - the previous edition mostly centred on secondary schooling - but also those seismic changes fllowing the first term of Tony Blair's landmark administration from 1997- 2001."—John Howelett, University of Keele, History of Education"The second edition of Ken Jones’s book offers an erudite and nuanced analysis of the political economy of education policy in modern Britain. Its balance of insight and detail makes it essential and necessary reading for education policy students and researchers and hopefully for those others who stride boldly and often ill-informed in the 'educational space' - policymakers!"—Stephen Ball, Institute of Education, UCL"Ken Jones' account of the divergence of the education systems of Britain’s four nations is both analytically sophisticated and deeply engaging. Anyone who wants to understand the current state of education in Britain should read this beautifully crafted and highly nuanced history of the struggles and collisions that have taken us to this place. Whilst much of the story is depressing, the book is a pleasure to read."—Sharon Gewirtz, King's College London

• Introduction1 Post-War Settlements2 The Golden Age?3 Expansion, Experiment, Conflict4 The Watershed: Conservatism and Educational Change5 New Labour: The Inheritors6 Crisis and OpportunityReferences