The third edition of this textbook has been comprehensively updated and substantially revised to provide an introduction to British politics and government under New Labour. As well as according greater attention to the growing role of the European Union in British politics, this new edition contains systematic comparisons between constitutional arrangements in the United Kingdom and in other leading democratic political systems. The book has been substantially redesigned with the addition of many new features. The book is for A Level Politics students; undergraduate students taking introductory courses in British Politics as part of Social Science, Social Policy, Public Administration or Politics degrees; and students on Access to Social Science courses.