ABSTRACT
If ideologies are ever to fi nd expression in governmental policies they need party machines to bring unity and direction to the various and sometimes disparate elements that support those ideologies. British parties have to focus on two distinct areas, the parliamentary and the public domains. A key player in the development of both is the party leader, and policy, its formulation and implementation, is the leader’s most important instrument. Various institutional relationships within the structure allow the leader to put that instrument to use and we shall examine each, before looking at the structure of the party machine itself.
