The Conservative Effect 2010 - 2024 by Anthony Seldon and Tom Egerton (Editors)

The Conservative Effect 2010 - 2024 by Anthony Seldon and Tom Egerton (Editors)
Buy The Conservative Effect 2010 - 2024 by Anthony Seldon and Tom Egerton (Editors) at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Politics and Society
Reviewer: Sue Magee
Summary: An informed and laargely unbiased look at how the conservative government has fared over fourteen years.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 492	Date: June 2024
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-1009473088
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Sometimes it's simpler to explain a book by describing what it isn't and that applies to The Conservative Effect: 2010-2024 - 14 Wasted Years?. If you're looking for an easy read which will deliver the inside story about what really happened on certain occasions, then this isn't the book for you. If that's what you're looking for, I don't think Anthony Seldon's book, Johnson at 10, can be bettered for those tumultuous years. It's a compelling read and should be compulsory for anyone who thinks Johnson should return to politics. The Conservative Effect is an entirely different beast. It's the seventh book in a series which looks at the impact a government has made and co-editor Sir Anthony Seldon regards this as the most important. This book follows the well-established format: a series of experts from various fields review the state of the nation when the coalition took over in 2010, the changes that occurred and the situation in 2024.

The brief was to look at what changed, who was behind these changes and how successful they were. A conclusion could then be reached as to whether or not there had been an improvement. Not all experts are equal, certainly when it comes to readability. Some here are academics and some are journalists, who are generally the more readable, although Tim Bale, on The Conservative Party, was an engaging read and I particularly appreciated Dieter Helm on the environment. John Kampfner on Culture provided me with some lightbulb moments and I reread Meg Russell's comments on standards in public life in her piece on Government, Parliament and the Constitution several times.

It might be thought that the fact that the book was completed before the July election was called but destined to be read at about the time that the election took place, might be a disadvantage but I didn't find it to be so. If it's needed, it's an excellent summary of the depths of the problem that the Labour government has inherited. I didn't detect any obvious bias although I did feel that Professor Alan Smithers was perhaps more generous about the state of education than many of my friends in the teaching profession would be. In fairness, credit does need to be given for the reform of the curriculum and examinations which Smithers feels are the best things that the Conservatives achieved in office. Others feel that this accolade will eventually go to Universal Credit.

Tom Egerton is good on External Shocks, such as the financial crash of 2008, Brexit (some might say that was entirely self-inflicted), Covid and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. His views are fair and balanced but I came away with the sense of a poor hand, badly played.

I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy.

If this book appeals you might also enjoy Having It So Good: Britain in the Fifties by Peter Hennessy.

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You can read more book reviews or buy The Conservative Effect 2010 - 2024 by Anthony Seldon and Tom Egerton (Editors) at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.

You can read more book reviews or buy The Conservative Effect 2010 - 2024 by Anthony Seldon and Tom Egerton (Editors) at Amazon.com.

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