Parliament is reeling from the expenses scandal, and an increasingly apathetic public can see no difference between Labour, Tory, and the Liberal Democrats. In British Politics: A Beginner's Guide, Richard Grayson asks if the blame for this lies at Westminster, or if we actually get the politicians we deserve. Covering the structure of the British government, the Civil Service, political parties, the media, the EU, and the special relationshipA with the US, this incisive introduction reveals the complex interactions that determine everything from the taxes we pay to when we should put out the wheelie bin.