Knowledge of public affairs matters: this friendly guide is an invaluable read for journalism students and journalists looking for a firm grasp on how central and local governments work, how public services operate, and how political events generate informative new stories. · Offers engaging coverage of the constitutional framework and the governing institutions of the UK, and gives stimulating insights into how they are, and could be, covered by journalists · Designed to complement NCTJ-accredited syllabi, this text is also recommended for a broad range of media qualifications · Chapters move logically through relevant topics including the economy, the electoral system, political parties, healthcare, education and housing, and conclude with 'take-home points' and 'current issues' to summarise the chapter and provide contextual knowledge · Fully updated to reflect policy changes introduced by the governments of Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak · Includes detailed overviews of the key impacts on British politics, public services, and the economy of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 'cost-of-living crisis', and the war in Ukraine · New sections outlining the impact of Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's 2022 'mini-Budget' and policy changes affecting a range of areas including asylum and immigration, housing and planning, ownership of the railways, and the National Health Service in England