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Reviled by the public and disowned by politicians, the poll tax was the most celebrated political disaster in post-war Britain. This book tells the full story of the poll tax. Margaret Thatcher, Nigel Lawson, Nicholas Ridely and virtually the entire cast of 1980s British politics feature as events unfold. Drawing on unique access to the often conflicting accounts of the leading players, the authors paint a picture of the journey of the poll tax from its conception to its demise. In the second half of the book, the authors assess the light the poll tax casts on the workings of British government, and draw conclusions. Looking at each of the main government in stitutions in turn, they show how the entire episode undermines the conventional wisdom about the workings of the British government.