New Labour policy, industrial relations and the trade unions

How can trade unions influence policymaking in a world where they are increasingly marginalised in labour markets and frozen out of politics? Tony Blair's 'New Labour' was outwardly hostile to trade unions and their concerns, yet his government worked closely with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on several key employment reforms. In this book, Steve Coulter analyses the dimensions of the often fractious Labour-union partnership and shows how the TUC pursued an 'insider lobbying' route to influence the shape of New Labour's policies. Drawing on interviews with key players and extensive archival research, the book critically analyses the political economy, constitutional and political constraints on Labour, highlighting the limited opportunities for unions to bring their influence to bear in spite of the critical role they play in bankrolling Labour.