Edward Ashbee - The Right and the Recession

Richard Hayton

The study of conservative politics, broadly defined, is of enduring scholarly interest and importance, and is also of great significance beyond the academy. In spite of this, for a variety of reasons the study of conservatism and conservative politics was traditionally regarded as something of a poor relation in comparison to the intellectual interest in the Left. In the British context this changed with the emergence of Thatcherism, which prompted a greater critical focus on the Conservative Party and its ideology, and a revitalization of Conservative historiography. New Perspectives on the Right aims to build on this legacy by establishing a series identity for work in this field. It will publish the best and most innovative titles drawn from the fields of sociology, history, cultural studies and political science and hopes to stimulate debate and interest across disciplinary boundaries. New Perspectives is not limited in its historical coverage or geographical scope, but is united by its concern to critically interrogate and better understand the history, development, intellectual basis and impact of the Right. Nor is the series restricted by its methodological approach: it will encourage original research from a plurality of perspectives. Consequently, the series will act as a voice and forum for work by scholars engaging with the politics of the Right in new and imaginative ways.

Reconstructing conservatism? The Conservative party in opposition, 19972010

Richard Hayton

Conservative orators from Baldwin to Cameron

Edited by Richard Hayton and Andrew S. Crines

Edward Ashbee

Manchester University Press

Copyright Edward Ashbee 2015

The right of Edward Ashbee to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Published by Manchester University Press

Altrincham Street, Manchester M1 7JA

www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data applied for

ISBN 978 0 7190 90820 hardback

First published 2015

The publisher has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for any external or third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

Typeset by Out of House Publishing

I am very grateful to Richard Hayton (University of Leeds), the series editor, for both his backing and the invariably astute comments that he made as the project proceeded. I should also extend my thanks to Tony Mason, commissioning editor at Manchester University Press, and my appreciation to friends and colleagues in the Department of Business and Politics at Copenhagen Business School. Their justly acerbic observations (which usually began with the words this is very interesting but ) at the Departments weekly work-in-progress seminars helped my thinking enormously.

Introduction: Charting the Right