The last decade has seen radical changes in the way we are governed. Reforms such as the Human Rights Act and devolution have led to the replacement of one constitutional order by another. This book is the first to describe and analyse Britain's new constitution, asking why it was that the old system, seemingly hallowed by time, came under challenge, and why it is being replaced. The Human Rights Act and the devolution legislation have the character of fundamental law. They in practice limit the rights of Westminster as a sovereign parliament, and establish a constitution which is quasi-federal in nature. The old constitution emphasised the sovereignty of Parliament. The new constitution, by contrast, emphasises the separation of powers, both territorially and at the centre of government. The aim of constitutional reformers has been to improve the quality of government. But the main weakness of the new constitution is that it does little to secure more popular involvement in politics. We are in the process of becoming a constitutional state, but not a popular constitutional state. The next phase of constitutional reform, therefore, is likely to involve the creation of new forms of democratic engagement, so that our constitutional forms come to be more congruent with the social and political forces of the age. The end-point of this piecemeal process might well be a fully codified or written constitution which declares that power stems not from the Queen-in Parliament, but, instead, as in so many constitutions, from `We, the People'. The old British constitution was analysed by Bagehot and Dicey. In this book Vernon Bogdanor charts the significance of what is coming to replace it. The expenses scandal shows up grave defects in the British constitution. Vernon Bogdanor shows how the constitution can be reformed and the political system opened up in`The New British Constitution'.

From established poets such as Andrew Motion and James Fenton, to mid-career poets such as Glyn Maxwell and Kathleen Jamie, to recent T.S. Eliot Prize-winner Alice Oswald, the work is fiercely intelligent, often irreverent, and engaged with traditional forms and an exhilirating range of styles. --Graywolf Press.

This book examines the recent development of the far right in Britain against the backdrop of changing public attitudes toward race and immigration in Britain. Focusing in particular on the British National Party (BNP) which has been the most electorally successful far right party in British history, the book examines the worrying rise in support for extremist and racist ideas.

The indomitable Gary Rhodes is back with his most ambitious collection of recipes yet. Famed for his mouth-watering variations on traditional British favourites, Gary sets out on a quest to modernise and enhance many classic dishes, updating them for the new millennium with a host of new and exciting ideas. Recipes will include dazzling new versions of such favourites as Steak and Kidney Pie, Prawn Cocktail and Cauliflower Cheese, as well as new dishes which take their inspiration from the best traditions of British food, such as Roast Parsnip Soup glazed with Parmesan and Chive Cream, Seared Cured Salmon Cutlets with Leeks, Bacon and a Cider Vinegar Dressing and Chicken Fillet Steaks with Chestnut Mushrooms, Sage and Lemon Sauce. As ever, Gary lives up to his reputation for creating delectable cakes and desserts with sensational ideas such as Chocolate Treacle Sandwich, Cranberry and Walnut Tart and Iced Vanilla Parfait with Nutmeg Clotted Cream and Caramelised Apples. In a series of special features spread through the book, Gary looks at the social and culinary traditions that have shaped British food. Features include such institutions as- The Great British Breakfast, Afternoon Tea and Christmas.

Slavery in Britain did not end with William Wilberforce at the beginning of the nineteenth century. They may be largely invisible to us, but living in our midst are thousands of slaves. Rahila Gupta seeks out five escapees and persuades them to tell us their stories in this compelling book. We meet a pregnant child from Sierra Leone who was locked up in a London house as a domestic slave; a Russian teenager trafficked into prostitution; a Chinese man who lives in fear of the Triads; a religious Somali woman who had to exchange sex for food; and a young Punjabi woman forced into marriage and repeatedly abused by her husband. These are the stories of those who have escaped, through a combination of courage, timing, luck and the humanity of those who helped them. Their testimonies are harrowing but they need to be heard.

From popular introductions to biographies and television programmes, philosophy is everywhere. Many people even want to be philosophers, usually in the café or the pub. But what do real philosophers do? What are the big philosophical issues of today? Why do they matter? How did some our best philosophers get into philosophy in the first place? Read New British Philosophy and find out for the first time. Clear, engaging and designed for a general audience, sixteen fascinating interviews with some of the top philosophers from the new generation of the subject's leaders range from music to the mind and feminism to the future of philosophy. Each interview is introduced and conducted by Julian Baggini and Jeremy Stangroom of The Philosophers Magazine. This is a unique snapshot of philosophy in Great Britain today and includes interviews with: Ray Monk - Biography; Nigel Warburton - the Public; Aaron Ridley - Music; Jonathan Wolff - Politics; Roger Crisp - Ethics; Rae Langton - Pornography; Miranda Fricker - Knowledge; M.G.F.Martin - Perception; Timothy Williamson - Vagueness; Tim Crane - Mind; Robin Le Poidevin - Metaphysics; Christina Howells - Sartre; Simon Critchley - Phenomenology; Simon Glendinning - Continental; Stephen Mulhall - the Future; Keith Ansell Pearson - the Human.