Forty years ago, central government was seen as the key actor in the making of public policy. Today, it is often portrayed as a parochial council, impotent in the face of uncontrollable global forces. This textbook examines the changes that have taken place in the way central government controls policy making.

Taking the shift from government to governance as its theme, the book explores a series of key issues: the New Right reforms of the state; the impact of Europeanization, internationalization and globalization; and most recently, the process of devolution under the Blair Labour government.

The book includes a series of policy making case studies throughout, drawing on the authors' own wide-ranging interviews with ministers, civil servants and interest groups, providing the reader with solid empirical material with which to illuminate the chapters.