The authors of this survey of British politics since the second world war wisely avoid a purely chronological exposition of British politics, opting instead for a more thematic approach. Although not explicitly divided into separate sections, the book nonetheless has three discernible segments, namely a brief outline of post-war governments, along with the rise and fall of consensus politics, key developments and issues in British politics since 1945, and a perusal of three specific policy areas. A final chapter provides a concise summary of the main ideological perspectives on postwar British politics.

The first segment is a brisk history of postwar governments up to 1997, highlighting their main policies and personalities, followed by a more systematic discussion about the postwar consensus. This concludes with a reference to the emergence of a new consensus, convincingly highlighting the range of policy areas where new Labour has broadly accepted many of the key tenets of Thatcherism. Only with regard to constitutional reform does new Labour clearly distinguish itself from the Conservatives. Whereas the Conservatives denounced devolution as presaging the break-up of the United Kingdom, new Labour recognised that it was precisely the refusal to satisfy Scottish and Welsh aspirations that was most likely to facilitate the disintegration of the UK.

The granting of devolution is not merely about territorial governance; it is integral to new Labour's professed objective of democratising and modernising both the British constitution and, indeed, the state itself. This of course entails the possibility of electoral reform, and thereby recalls the irony of John Major insisting that only the existing first-past-the-post system could produce a government that was stable and effective - yet his two were neither.

The most divisive political issue faced by the Major governments was that of Europe post-Maastricht. The book rightly emphasises that Britain has always contained sceptics about membership of the European Union, with sections of the Labour Party also hostile at various junctures. However, Britain's scepticism towards Europe can only be fully understood by considering British foreign policy since 1945. As the book explains, the postwar era has been characterised by a considerable degree of continuity between governments in the sphere of foreign policy: the retreat from empire, the relinquishing of the Commonwealth, the "special relationship" with the United States, and paranoia about the alleged Soviet threat. Throughout the postwar era, Britain has looked first and foremost across the Atlantic, rather than across the Channel, for inspiration and support.

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One particular conclusion drawn by the authors is the frequency with which pragmatism has prevailed, thereby ensuring that "change has been gradual and incremental rather than radical", with governments tending to be "reactive rather than creative - responding to events rather than shaping them".

British Politics since the War is, without doubt, a reader-friendly text, liberally incorporating a plethora of box diagrams, bullet points and "exhibits" to illustrate key aspects throughout. It deserves to be added to many student reading lists.

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Peter Dorey is lecturer in politics, University of Cardiff.