Malcolm Dean (1939-2025) joined The Guardian newspaper in 1969 where he served as roving reporter, social affairs leader-writer and assistant editor. He became Special Adviser to the Health and Social Services Secretary in 1978/79. Returning to the paper in 1979 post election, he launched its Society section, a highly successful weekly supplement specialising in social policy, which he edited for most of its first 20 years as well as writing daily editorials. He retired in 2006 to take up a fellowship at Nuffield College, Oxford. He served on numerous social policy working parties and was chair of a Joseph Rowntree Foundation commission on older people.

• Foreword by Howard Glennerster; Foreword by David R. Mayhew; Preface: 1. The rise and fall of mainstream journalism; 2. An inside and outside look at policy-making; 3. Law and order; 4. Drugs: tabloid puppets and pawns; 5. Asylum: an oppressive media campaign prompts a cowardly political response; 6. Labour's boldest target: to end child poverty; 7. Vocational education: the biggest disappointment; 8. Health and social care: the most expensive breakfast in history; 9. The disappearance of the housing correspondent; 10. Subverting democracy (1): seven sins of the reptiles; 11. Subverting democracy (2): serious crimes of the reptiles; Afterword; Index

"Virtually a social history of modern Britain, … [written from] a fantastic vantage point … with a lightness of touch. " Times Higher Education