A more equal society?

New Labour, poverty, inequality and exclusion

Edited by John Mills and Kitty Stewart, The Policy Press, 392 pages, paperback, £19.99

This book identifies the four areas that are key to creating a more equal society - employment, education, health and social and political participation.

It investigates what this means in poor urban neighbourhoods, for the young and old and for ethnic minorities.

The book assesses what Labour has been trying to do in these areas and its level of success and argues that Labour has shifted the debate, put social exclusion centre stage and by setting itself a range targets made clear its responsibility.

After moves to greater equality during the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s, 18 years of Conservative government left a society more unequal than ever. However, the authors also suggest that perhaps Labour could have achieved more from such as low base.