From Sir Robert Peel to John Major, this is a survey of the Conservative Party, its development, and the people who have made it what it is. Among the topics discussed are the reasons for the party's success, party funding, and how much the success is due to Labour's failure. With assessment of the Conservatives' power-bases, and their relationships with the media, the monarchy and Europe, the author places the party in a socio-historical as well as a political context, and provides an insight into the changing face of British society and political life. A.J. Davies's other books include "To Build a New Jerusalem", a history of the British Labour movement.