What Went Wrong with Britain?

An Audit of Tory Failure

Steven Kettell, Peter Kerr, Daniela Tepe

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Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Manchester University Press
29 October 2025

Political parties; Public administration; Central government

A unflinching audit of the damage done by fourteen years of Conservative government.

What went wrong with Britain? presents a comprehensive account of the devastating legacy left by the Conservative government. Shining a light into every dark corner, the book exposes the full extent of the damage inflicted on the country's economy, social fabric and political integrity.

When the Conservatives were voted out of government in July 2024, they left behind a miserable record of rising poverty, inequality and division. This book reveals the forces that have driven the country to the point of crisis, from austerity and economic mismanagement to sheer political dysfunction. Each chapter offers new insights into the far-reaching consequences of government policies that prioritised ideology, personal ambition and party politics over the public good.

Examining the rise of populism, the politics of Brexit, the UK's response to the pandemic and the steady erosion of public trust, this shocking account of the legacy of Conservative government from 2010 to 2024 is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand exactly what went wrong with Britain.

Edited by: Steven Kettell, Peter Kerr, Daniela Tepe
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm, Spine: 27mm
Weight: 533g
ISBN: 9781526170392
ISBN 10: 1526170396
Pages: 366
Publication Date: 29 October 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Steven Kettell is a Reader in Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick. He is a founder and co-executive editor of the journal British Politics. Peter Kerr is an Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Birmingham. He is a founder and co-executive editor of the journal British Politics. Daniela Tepe is a Senior Lecturer in Political Economy at the University of Liverpool. Her recent publications include The Fault Lines of Inequality and the Politics of Financialization (2022).

Reviews for What Went Wrong with Britain?: An Audit of Tory Failure

‘Passionate, provocative and timely – an excoriating across-the-board audit from an impressive line-up of experts and an indispensable resource for anyone who cares about our country and hopes to see it change for the better.’ Tim Bale, author of The Conservative Party after Brexit ‘Inspired, as the authors admit, by frustration and despair, this book nevertheless provides important and acute analytical assessments of what went wrong under the Conservatives.’ Anand Menon, co-author of Brexit and British Politics -- .