The evolutionary development of its institutions and its unwritten constitution have led many to argue that there is no such thing as a British state. The fundamental aspects of British politics continue to receive surprisingly little attention, especially in the light of the radical plans for constitutional change put in place by the Blair government. This book, designed as a complement to the highly successful Developments in British Politics, brings together leading scholars to reveal a complex pattern of continuity and change in which pre-modern institutions have survived unchallenged by war or revolution but adapted to new realities of power. The evolutionary development of its institutions and its unwritten constitution have led many to argue that there is no such thing as a British state. The fundamental aspects of British politics continue to receive surprisingly little attention, especially in the light of the radical plans for constitutional change put in place by the Blair government. This book, designed as a complement to the highly successful Developments in British Politics, brings together leading scholars to reveal a complex pattern of continuity and change in which pre-modern institutions have survived unchallenged by war or revolution but adapted to new realities of power. Read Less