Each volume in the Longman Companion to History Series, under the General Editorship of Chris Cook and John Stevenson, provides a handy reference work to a major area of historical study, and is written by a leading scholar in the field. This book is designed for anyone interested in the history and politics of Britain in the first half of the 20th century. Purpose built for student needs, it is a practical desk-companion for continuous use on a key phase in the history of Britain. It covers only 31 years - but they are years of such unprecedented change that they link two utterly different worlds, taking us from the imperial certainties of the Edwardian Age to the global anxieties of the Atom Bomb and the Cold War. It includes: Chronology of the main political events of the period; lists of ministries office holders and elections; detailed accounts of political parties; notes on legislation and local government. Information and statistics on social issues, including population, education, health, gender, sexuality, crime, the news media and religion is included as well as information on economic issues, including trade, prices, unemployment, agriculture, industry, finance, the unions and transport. It also covers the main developments in foreign and imperial affairs, and has accounts of the two world wars. It contains concise biographies of the key figures of the age, a glossary of terms and a select topic bibliography.