Making British Defence Policy

This book explores the process by which defence policy is made in contemporary Britain and the institutions, actors and conflicting interests which interact in its inception and continuous reformulation.

Autorentext

Robert Self is a specialist in interwar Britain having published several important archival studies including a biography of Neville Chamberlain and a study of the inter-Allied war debt controversy between 1917 and 1941. Since his retirement as Professor of British Politics and Contemporary History, he has turned his attention to the study of recent British foreign and defence policy.

Inhalt

1 Making Defence Policy in Contemporary Britain

2 The diplomatic and economic context for defence policy-making

3 The Ministry of Defence in transition

4 The Prime Minister and the 'central direction of defence'

5 Cabinet government and defence policy

6 The Defence Secretary and their department

7 Departmental politics within the Whitehall village

8 The Treasury and financial control in an age of austerity

9 Civil-military relations in Britain

10 The Armed Forces, judiciary and the fear of legal encirclement

11 The influence of Parliament over defence policy

12 Political parties, pressure groups and public opinion

13 Conclusions

Bibliography

Appendix: Ministers, Permanent Under-Secretaries and Chief of Defence Staff at the Ministry of Defence since 1946