What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today? (I) Source: mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/poll.aspx?oItemID=56&view=wide EconomyUnemploy- ment Race relations/ immigration/ immigrants NHSCrimeEducation/ Schools Defence /foreign affairs/ international terrorism Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct AVERAGE

What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today? (II) Source: mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/poll.aspx?oItemID=56&view=wide Petrol prices/fuel Poverty/ inequality EUPublic services Pollution/ environ- ment Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct AVERAGE

Proportion seeing poverty as a major issue, Source: mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/poll.aspx?oItemID=56&view=wide

John Kingdon, Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies PROBLEMS POLICIES POLITICS

John Kingdon, Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies PROBLEMS Indicators – show that a condition exists, and on what scale, or whether it is changing Focusing event – brings an issue to light in a dramatic or eye-catching way Feedback – information from existing policy that relates to the condition

John Kingdon, Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies POLICIES ‘Primeval soup’ of policy formation Policies emerge from the soup by showing they meet certain criteria:  Technical feasibility  Fit with values  Likelihood of future constraints

John Kingdon, Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies POLITICS The everyday rough & tumble of political competition shifts levels of support behind specific issues and their solutions Success or failure of specific politicians or of political parties (and even whole political movements) makes specific issues more or less likely to be on the agenda

Policy window (I) A combination of circumstances that favours the coming together of the three ‘streams’: Identified and pressing problem Satisfactory policy that can address that problem Political will and capability to pursue the policy

Example: 1945 implementation of the Welfare State PROBLEM: the poverty of the 30s depression POLICY: Beveridge’s welfare state proposals POLITICS: Labour’s landslide victory in the 1945 general election Policy window (II)