ABSTRACT
To describe and assess the policies and plans for rural people in Britain without first understanding the prevailing political allegiances in these areas would be like evaluating the fate of the Titanic without mentioning the iceberg. Planning in Britain is inextricably linked to political decision making at central, regional and local levels, and represents one aspect amongst many in the portfolio of state activities. Analysis of plans and policies therefore necessitates a full investigation of the concepts of state form, function and apparatus (see Ch. 1, and Cloke & Little in press), and an awareness of any variations in state activity due to party political changes.
