The must-have textbook for A-level Politics, published to include results from the May 2026 devolved elections

The updated sixth edition of Essentials of UK Politics and Government covers everything you need to know about UK Politics for the Pearson Edexcel specification. It will show you how politics works in the real world, and help you to think critically about the subject through examples, debates and case studies.

A wealth of features helps to explain and cement your learning for the Edexcel specification, such as specification checklists, key terms from the Edexcel specification, and exam style essay and source questions in every chapter.

Kathy Schindler brings this edition right up to date with every chapter being reviewed and updated including:

- results from the May 2026 devolved elections;
- coverage of the 2024 general election and 2025 mayoral elections;
- extended material on devolution;
- detailed analysis of the changing nature of Parliament and the way it fulfils its scrutiny function; and
- brand new or updated case studies in every chapter

A companion website provides extra material for students such as flashcards for key terms and definitions and tips for planning and organising revision. Teachers can also access further resources, bonus case studies, specification matching tables and example student answers.

Andrew Heywood was Vice Principal of Croydon College, UK, having previously been Director of Studies at Orpington College, UK, and Head of Politics at Farnborough Sixth-Form College, UK.

Kathy Schindler has been teaching Politics for 30 years, working in a large comprehensive school in London for most of that time. Kathy is part of the Senior Examination Team for a large exam board and was involved in the development of the new linear Politics specification. Subsequently, Kathy has led many training sessions for the exam board around the country, helping teachers to get to grips with the demands of the new specification as well as supporting individual politics departments and holding student revision conferences in schools. In addition to this book, Kathy has also textbooks published by Pearson.