This book re-examines the claim of the Conservative Party to be the
'national party' and in its politics to express the enduring 'national
interest'. It explores the historical character of the Conservative
Party, in particular the significance of the nation in its
self-understanding. It addresses the political culture of the modern
party, one which proclaims a Unionist vocation but rests mainly on
English support, and considers how the Englishness of the party is
reconciled with the politics of British statecraft. It considers the
constitutional challenges which the Conservative Party faces in managing
a changing Union, in negotiating a changing Europe and in defining a
changing national interest. The book is essential reading not only for
students and scholars of the Conservative Party but also for those who
want to make sense of the transformations taking place in modern British
politics.