Anthony Seldon is one of Britain's foremost political experts. He is Tony Blair's authorised biographer and his previous books include; The Powers Behind the Prime Minister (2001), The Blair Effect (2001), The Foreign Office (2000), Britain Under Thatcher (1999), Major (1998) and The Heath Government (1996).Kevin Hickson is Lecturer in British Politics at the University of Liverpool. He is co-editor of the forthcoming The Struggle for Labour's Soul: Understanding the Political Thought of the Labour Party (2004).

• Part 1: The Framework of Ideas 1. 1974: The Crisis of Old Labour 2. Political Thought: Socialism in a Cold Climate 3. Economic Thought Part 2: Domestic and Foreign Policies 4. Economic Policy 5. Trades Union Policy: The Rise and Fall of the Social Contract 6. Social Policy and Inequality 7. Education Policy 8. Europe 9. Foreign and Defence Policy Part 3: Government and Politics 10. Prime Ministers and Cabinet 11. Parliament 12. Central and Local Government 13. Devolution 14. Northern Ireland 15. The Labour Party Part 4: Perspectives 16. The 1974-9 Governments and 'New' Labour 17. The Industrial Strategy 18. Was Britain Dying? 19. Forgetting History: How New Labour Sees Old Labour 20. The Worst of Governments. Conclusion: Reading and Misreading Old Labour

'I absolutely recommend this book to anyone judging today both the Blair government and the Labour government of 1974-78.' - Steve Richards, GMTV, Sunday Breakfast Show