Substance not Spin
An Insider’s View of Success and Failure in Government
Distributed for Bristol University Press
208 pages
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5 1/2 x 8 1/2
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© 2016
- Contents
- Review Quotes
Table of Contents

Contents
The problem;
Homelessness;
The irresistible rise of Housing Benefit;
Why we don't build enough homes;
Does it fly?;
A mayor for London;
The slow road to devolution in England;
The transformation of Hackney;
'This won't take much of your time';
Wasted opportunities;
Conclusions.
Homelessness;
The irresistible rise of Housing Benefit;
Why we don't build enough homes;
Does it fly?;
A mayor for London;
The slow road to devolution in England;
The transformation of Hackney;
'This won't take much of your time';
Wasted opportunities;
Conclusions.
Review Quotes
Housing Studies
“Few people can be better placed to write about housing’s place in politics and policy-making than Nick Raynsford. . .His book will appeal to those interested in political science and policy studies as well as housing studies.”
Anthony Travers, LSE
"Nick Raynsford was one of the chief architects of the London mayor and assembly. His particular ministerial experience gives him deep understanding of how Whitehall and Westminster operate."
Lord Bob Kerslake, former Head of the Civil Service
"A fascinating read from one of the wisest and best informed ministers we have had in recent times. Essential reading for anyone interested in the challenges of delivering good government."
Margaret Hodge, DBE, MP
"An honest, thoughtful and detailed inside account covering an eclectic set of issues, with important insights and radical proposals for change."
Andy McSmith, author of No Such Thing as Society: A History of Britain in the 1980s
"As a serving minister, Nick Raynsford always distinguished between good politics and good policy, and could spot a bad policy from afar. That same common sense permeates these pages."
Peter Williams, University of Cambridge
“An insightful account …who better than Nick Raynsford to help us understand what actually happened.”
David Montague CBE, CEO L&Q Housing Trust
“Restores faith in the hard working politician, challenges the machinery of Whitehall and offers a route to renewed public confidence in government.”
Kate Henderson, Town and Country Planning Associatio
"Raynsford's incisive, candid and unique perspective on successes and failures in government makes this book a must read for politicians, policy-makers, campaigners and academics alike." n
Local Government Studies
“Raynsford’s aim in drawing out his lessons from decades in government is to help future policy become even more effective. His book provides an interesting exposition of significant policy innovations, with illuminating reflections on the factors behind success and failure.”
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