Kevin Theakston – författare

First published in 1992. In this lively and controversial book, Kevin Theakston examines the Yes, Minister-style argument popularised by Tony Benn and Richard Crossman that the civil service obstructs Labour government policies. He argues that in fact the Labour party’s problems and failures in office are largely political in origin.

The book surveys the development of socialist thinking about Whitehall, and examines the claim of a Labour MP in 1979 that ‘It is as if Labour in office has now lost all stomach for administrative reform.’ Theakston looks at the effectiveness of Labour’s various reform schemes, raising important issues such as politicisation and power in the civil service, Whitehall management, elitism in civil service recruitment, and secrecy and ‘open government’.

This book will appeal to researchers and students of British politics, public administration, and history, as well as to all those with an interest in Whitehall reform, or in Labour Party politics.

First published in 1992. In this lively and controversial book, Kevin Theakston examines the Yes, Minister-style argument popularised by Tony Benn and Richard Crossman that the civil service obstructs Labour government policies. He argues that in fact the Labour party’s problems and failures in office are largely political in origin.

The book surveys the development of socialist thinking about Whitehall, and examines the claim of a Labour MP in 1979 that ‘It is as if Labour in office has now lost all stomach for administrative reform.’ Theakston looks at the effectiveness of Labour’s various reform schemes, raising important issues such as politicisation and power in the civil service, Whitehall management, elitism in civil service recruitment, and secrecy and ‘open government’.

This book will appeal to researchers and students of British politics, public administration, and history, as well as to all those with an interest in Whitehall reform, or in Labour Party politics.

This book analyses the changing role of the British Foreign Secretary and presents biographical case studies of all the individual holders of that post, the policies they persued and the issues they faced, since 1974. The work of the British Foreign Secretaries from James Callaghan to Robin Cook is examined in the context of the foreign policy-making machinery, the changing environment of British foreign policy, and the internal and external political forces with which they had to contend.Using a biographical case study approach, the chapters examine the careers, personalities, policies and influence of successive Foreign Secretaries to increase our knowledge and understanding of the work of the government, and the development of British foreign policy over the last thirty years. British Foreign Secretaries Since 1974 casts light on the hitherto shadowy and understudied role of personality in international relations and on how ten very different personalities helped to shape the detail and the articulation of British foreign policy.

This book analyses the changing role of the British Foreign Secretary and presents biographical case studies of all the individual holders of that post, the policies they persued and the issues they faced, since 1974. The work of the British Foreign Secretaries from James Callaghan to Robin Cook is examined in the context of the foreign policy-making machinery, the changing environment of British foreign policy, and the internal and external political forces with which they had to contend.Using a biographical case study approach, the chapters examine the careers, personalities, policies and influence of successive Foreign Secretaries to increase our knowledge and understanding of the work of the government, and the development of British foreign policy over the last thirty years. British Foreign Secretaries Since 1974 casts light on the hitherto shadowy and understudied role of personality in international relations and on how ten very different personalities helped to shape the detail and the articulation of British foreign policy.