The British General Election of 2015

By Philip Cowley and Dennis Kavanagh

16^th December

£29.99 | Paperback | 9781137366139

The British General Election of 2015 is a must-read for anyone wanting to know exactly how the most unpredictable election for a generation unfolded.

Drawing on hundreds of confidential interviews with all the key players and access to confidential documents, this book offers a compelling insider's guide to the election's background, campaign, and the results which led to the formation of the first majority Conservative government in 18 years. Philip Cowley and Dennis Kavanagh draw on their wealth of expertise to analyse the key events of the election, including the comprehensive failure of the polls to anticipate the Conservative majority, the transformation of Scotland and the Scottish party system, the tensions over election strategy within Ed Miliband’s team, and the party leaders’ surprised reactions to the unexpected outcome.

Designed to appeal to everyone from Westminster insiders, to politics students and the wider general public, this is the authoritative account of the 2015 election. Continuing a proud Palgrave Macmillan tradition, The British General Election of 2015 is the 19th edition and celebrates the 70th year of this prestigious series.

Praise for previous editions:

'...the Bible of General Elections.' – David Dimbleby, BBC 

'The General Election series of books has become an institution. Dennis Kavanagh is one of the wisest minds patrolling the borders of academic politics and contemporary history and Philip Cowley is a brilliant choice to join him in maintaining the series. He is one of the sharpest chroniclers of Westminster politics: I admire his independence of judgement and willingness to puncture bubbles of media myth about the way that Parliament and Government works.' – John Rentoul, Chief Political Editor, Independent on Sunday

'It's popular academic writing at its best, combining a clear narrative (using anecdotes and quotes garnered from more than 300 background interviews) with lots of solid, meaty number-crunching.' – Andrew Sparrow, The Guardian

'Dennis Kavanagh and Philip Cowley have penned a political thriller.... The book is distinguished by the quality of its sources: the ministers, aides and strategists who open up to these academics in a way they might not to journalists.' – The Observer

-ENDS-

About the Authors

Philip Cowley is Professor of Parliamentary Government at the University of Nottingham, UK. His many publications include The Rebels: How Blair Mislaid His Majority and Conscience and Parliament.

Dennis Kavanagh is Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Liverpool, UK. His extensive works include Thatcherism and British Politics, British Politics: Continuities and Change, and he has been involved in every one of the Palgrave Macmillan election studies since February 1974.

For more information on the book or to get in touch with the authors please contact:
Rebecca Krahenbuhl, rebecca.krahenbuhl@palgrave.com, +44 0207 014 6634