How Westminster Works . . . and Why It Doesn't

British politics is broken. Anyone sitting down to watch the news will get a firm sense that something has gone terribly wrong. The MPs we get are of the lowest imaginable quality. The voting system doesn't actually count the votes. The government is in charge of scrutinising itself and takes a predictably light-touch approach to doing so. Ministers are misleading and self-serving. The legislation is sloppy, ineffective and broadly worded. Expertise is denigrated. Lies are rewarded. And deep-seated, long-lasting national problems go permanently unresolved. Most of us have a sense that the system doesn't work - but do we know how to articulate exactly why? The reality is that despite all the coverage, hardly anyone understands how Westminster actually works. Our political and financial system is cloaked in secrecy, archaic terminology, ancient custom, impenetrable technical jargon and deliberate obfuscation.HOW WESTMINSTER WORKS . . . AND WHY IT DOESN'T is an impeccably researched and highly informative account of the reality behind the news stories we read every day. It provides exactly what people in power have always tried to avoid: a description of the mechanisms of government which can be understood by anyone.