Conservative Governments and Social Policy

Hugh Bochel is Emeritus Professor of Public Policy at the School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Lincoln.Martin Powell is Professor of Health and Social Policy at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham.

• 1. Introduction: The Conservative Governments From Cameron to Sunak (2015–23) – Hugh Bochel and Martin Powell2. The Conservatives and Public Spending Since 2015 – Nick Ellison3. Turning Up the Thermostat: The Conservatives, Social Policy and Public Opinion – Andrew Defty4. Brexit and the Conservative Party’s Social Policies – Steven Corbett5. The Johnson Conservative Government, Its Conservatism and the Pandemic Response – Ian Greener6. The Governance of Social Policy Under the Conservatives – Catherine Bochel and Hugh Bochel7. Conservative Health Policy, 2015–23 – Martin Powell8. The Less Things Change: Conservatism, COVID-19 and Incoherence in Education Policy – Stephen J. Ball9. Conservative Housing Policy in England – Peter Somerville10. Social Security Policies Under the Conservatives 2015–22: Austerity, COVID-19, and the Living Cost Crisis – Stephen McKay and Karen Rowlingson11. Labour Market Strategies and Welfare Policies: The Conservative Record – Anne Daguerre and David Etherington12. The Conservatives and Adult Social Care – Jon Glasby13. The Conservatives, Family Policy and the Data Revolution – Val Gillies and Rosalind Edwards14. Troubling Social Policy During Turbulent Times: Children and UK Conservative Governments Since 2015 – Harriet Churchill15. Conservative Criminal Justice: A Strange Rediscovery of ‘Law and Order’ Politics – Peter Squires16. Equalities and The Conservatives: The Widening of Social Divisions – Kirstein Rummery17. The Conservative Governments, Devolution and Social Policy – Ann Marie Gray18. Conclusions – Hugh Bochel and Martin Powell

“Tracking social policies, spending and welfare state politics of Conservative governments after 2015, this excellent array of contributors bring deep expertise, insight and clarity to understanding the social policy developments of our turbulent times.” Emma Carmel, University of Bath