During the research for this book I have accumulated many debts from the following individuals and institutions I would like to record here. The Political Economy Research Centre at Sheffield proved to be a very supportive intellectual environment within which to carry out the original research for this book, from 2001 to 2004. I am particularly grateful to Sylvia McColm for providing such a friendly work environment. The Department of Politics was my second home during my time at Sheffield and I would like to thank all the staff there (especially Sarah Cooke) for creating such a warm and congenial atmosphere. I would also like to thank the Economic and Social Research Council for the financial support it provided for my doctoral research.
I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Prof. Andrew Gamble, who first interested me in neo-liberalism as a subject for research and provided invaluable support and advice during excellent supervision sessions. The most rewarding part of this research was the opportunity to work with him. I would like to thank him for his intellectual and emotional support. Special debts are also owed to Dr Duncan Kelly, Prof. Mike Kenny, Prof. James Meadowcroft and Prof. Raymond Plant. All have read drafts of the research on which this book is based and their insightful comments helped me to clarify my thinking. Similar thanks are due to Prof. Kenneth Minogue for giving me his time to discuss various aspects of neo-liberalism, and to Prof. John Henneberry for sharing with me his extensive knowledge of British property law. I have tried to do justice to the issues raised by all of the above. Any remaining errors, of course, are my own.
On a personal level, I would like to thank my family and friends for the support they have given me over the years; it has been invaluable. In
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