British political culture

Abstract

Any book on British politics has to begin with a chapter on British political culture, since this is the context within which British politics take place. The term ‘political culture’ is taken to mean the historical, cultural and attitudinal setting within which British political institutions have to function.1 It is not easy to generalise about British political culture, but it is possible to identify some key characteristics which influence both the process and the outcome of politics in Britain.