ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the aspects of local and national politics, and outlines a few ways in which the impact of the media has been assessed. Journalists are part of the information business and are crucial in a political process that involves the exercise of this potent force. Agenda setting involves a constant interaction between a newspaper and its readers. Newspapers also tend to take on board sources of information that control and establish initial definitions of particular issues. However, power in Britain is centralised and supported by political conventions, the cohesiveness of political parties, treasury control, ministerial responsibility and the crown prerogative. Britain's culture of secrecy is buttressed by harsh libel laws, weak rights of access to official information, the official secrets act and the D-notice system. However, in 2007 the Scottish national party (SNP) became the largest party and in 2011 it achieved an overall majority with 69 members of the Scottish parliament (MSPs).
