Explaining Local Government uniquely presents a history of local government in Britain since 1800 until the present day. The study explains how local government in Britain has evolved from a structure that appeared to be relatively free from central government interference to, as John Prescott observes, 'one of the most centralised systems of government in the Western world'. The book is accessible to 'A' level and undergraduate students as an introduction to the development of local government in Britain but also balances values and political practice in relation to the evolving structures to provide a theory of the evolution of the system for the specialist based on primary research.