Book review: sport and politics in modern Britain: the road to 2012

For many, the 2012 Olympics was UK sport’s “Golden Summer”, heavily promoted and supported by UK politicians. But, this has not always been the case, with state engagement with UK sport ebbing and flowing over political administrations through the decades of the 20th century. Daniel Burdsey finds that Kevin Jefferys’ new text is an impressive overview of the politics and politicians that have shaped sports policy over the past 70 years in the UK. Covering both domestic and international sports policy as well as sport’s links with the welfare state, he writes that this book would be essential reading for those planning sports policy in Whitehall today.