Hung Together

The 2010 Election and the Coalition Government

Adam Boulton, Joey Jones

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN:
  9781849833813
• eBook ISBN:
  9781471128301
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Sociology
• Index: Social Sciences

Hung Togethertells the story of an election that made political history, and the first two years of an unprecedented Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, as told by the protagonists and as witnessed by two journalists with unrivalled access to events. Adam Boulton and Joey Jones were at the heart of the action during the 2010 general election and are able to draw on detailed interviews with all the key players to build up the most complete and intimate picture of how things unfolded.

Hung Togetherbegins by looking at the election campaign and the pivotal events of the weeks running up to polling day - including the televised Leaders Debates (one of which Boulton chaired).

More than a year after the election took place, Boulton and Jones re-interview the central political actors and analysts they spoke to during that pivotal time and incisively report on the development and consequences of this coalition government. Cameron's first year as Prime Minister, the government's domestic and foreign policy, the budget, and the balance of the coalition will all be analysed by these two ideally placed political commentators.

Whether on the stump, while broadcasting live, or during tense discussions deep in the bowels of Whitehall, the authors witnessed every event themselves or know someone who did. And in Hung Togetherthey unveil a complete picture of what really goes on, a story that is at present shrouded in rumour and secrecy.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Copyright page
• Dedication page
• Epigraph page
• Contents
• Prologue
• Part I – CAMPAIGN
• 1 Day One
• 2 Hitting the Trail
• 3 Embed with Cameron
• 4 Game Changer
• 5 The Debates
• 6 Decision Time
• Part II – HUNG
• 7 The Offer
• 8 Strange Days
• 9 In the Balance
• 10 The Deal
• Part III – COALITION
• 11 Into Government
• 12 Prime Minister Home and Away
• 13 Hanging Together?
• Postscript
• An Interview with David Cameron and Nick Clegg
• Coalition Government Timeline
• Index
• Acknowledgements
• Illustrations
• Cameron enters the St Stephen’s Club, 7 May
• The new Prime Minister and his Deputy, 12 May