DOWNSIZING, RESTRUCTURING, PURCHASING AND PROVIDING: SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL SERVICES IN A VALUE‐FOR‐MONEY CLIMATE Available to Purchase

The United Kingdom is experiencing its 11th consecutive year of Conservative government; first under Mrs, now Lady Thatcher and latterly under the leadership of John Major. This long period of government under one political party with, until recently, a weakened Labour and Liberal Democrat opposition, has brought in a major shift from welfare state policies, in place since post‐war years, to the pursuit of a vigorous policy of privatisation of public utilities (for example, gas, electricity, water) and a dimunition of res publica ‐the state, or the public good on the one hand ‐ and a strengthening of state powers in relation to criminal justice, and to some extent, defence on the other: what is sometimes called the ‘nightwatchman’ state.