Fifty Years of British Politics: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the BPG
Full Day Short Course
9:00am – 5:00pm
The United Kingdom today faces a seemingly unending cycle of political and economic challenges from inflation and stagnant growth to immigration pressures and social unrest. Public confidence in democratic institutions continues to erode, and governments across the political spectrum struggle to offer lasting solutions. Strikingly, these themes echo concerns from fifty years ago. In 1975, when the British Politics Group (BPG) was founded, the UK was also navigating economic malaise, ideological upheaval, and uncertainty over its global role. And yet, the country has undergone profound transformations over the past half-century.
This full-day short course marks the 50th anniversary of the British Politics Group by examining the evolution of British politics from 1975 to 2025 and by looking ahead to what the next fifty years may hold. Presenters will reflect on major shifts in party ideologies, institutional structures, and the evolving relationship between citizens and the state. From Thatcherism to Brexit, from devolution to new debates around national identity, the course will explore how the UK has repeatedly reimagined its political foundations and what these changes mean for the future of democratic governance.
Scholars, students, and practitioners of British politics are invited to join this timely discussion about continuity, change, and crisis in one of the world’s oldest democracies. The short course also offers a unique opportunity to engage with members and supporters of the British Politics Group in celebrating five decades of scholarship and exchange