Public Affairs for Journalists is a punchy and practical introduction to all aspects of central and local government. It provides journalism students with all the information they will need to cover public affairs confidently. The text starts with the emergence of Britain's constitution, the changing role of the monarchy and the origins of parliamentary democracy. It goes on to explore the roles of individual departments of state, such as the Treasury, and recent moves away from 'big government' towards more commercially driven forms of public service delivery. It also looks at Britain's position in the world with chapters on the EU and IR. The second half of the book examines the evolution of the present-day council framework. It explores the complexities of local government finance and explores the roles of elected councilors, emergency services and individual departments. The book concludes by looking at the Freedom of Information Act. Public Affairs for Journalists is accompanied by an Online Resource Centre.