Why do some prime ministers manage to get things done, while others miserably fail? What is a ''special adviser'' and how did they take over British political life? And why is the House of Lords more functional than most people think?

Most of us have a sense that our political system doesn''t seem to work, but struggle to articulate exactly why. And for good reason: our political and financial institutions are cloaked in secrecy, archaic terminology, ancient custom and impenetrable jargon. Now, expert political journalist Ian Dunt is lifting the lid on British politics to expose every aspect of the setup in a way that can be understood and challenged. From Downing Street to Whitehall, the Commons to the Lords, this book is an indispensable guide to our political system - and how we might begin to fix it.

Why do some prime ministers manage to get things done, while others miserably fail? What is a ''special adviser'' and how did they take over British political life? And why is the House of Lords more functional than most people think?

Most of us have a sense that our political system doesn''t seem to work, but struggle to articulate exactly why. And for good reason: our political and financial institutions are cloaked in secrecy, archaic terminology, ancient custom and impenetrable jargon. Now, expert political journalist Ian Dunt is lifting the lid on British politics to expose every aspect of the setup in a way that can be understood and challenged. From Downing Street to Whitehall, the Commons to the Lords, this book is an indispensable guide to our political system - and how we might begin to fix it.

Why do some prime ministers manage to get things done, while others miserably fail? What is a ''special adviser'' and how did they take over British political life? And why is the House of Lords more functional than most people think?

Most of us have a sense that our political system doesn''t seem to work, but struggle to articulate exactly why. And for good reason: our political and financial institutions are cloaked in secrecy, archaic terminology, ancient custom and impenetrable jargon. Now, expert political journalist Ian Dunt is lifting the lid on British politics to expose every aspect of the setup in a way that can be understood and challenged. From Downing Street to Whitehall, the Commons to the Lords, this book is an indispensable guide to our political system - and how we might begin to fix it.