Essential Public Affairs for Journalists is an invaluable guide for journalism students and those already in the industry. Offering comprehensive coverage of the workings of both central and local government, it provides all the information students and professionalism will need to cover public affairs with confidence. Beginning by outlining the constitutional framework and the governing institutions of the UK, the book then moves on to explore Britain's role in the EU and the wider world of international relations. In the second half of the text, the focus shifts to local government, where such headline-grabbing subjects as school catchment areas, council tax and public transport, are reviewed and explained. The second edition is fully up-to-date with the 2010 general election, and includes the latest details of the coalition government's policy agenda. Essential Public Affairs for Journalists is also supported by an Online Resource Centre with the following features: · Regular Updates: New developments in central and local government are succinctly summarized so that the book is always up-to-date · News Feeds: Real life articles from different news sites are linked to via RSS · Audio podcasts on reporting public affairs in practice · Tables · Web links