It's only when your feet touch the bottom of the swamp that you can push up to the surface. By 2030 the UK could be so much better, so much more productive, fairer, cleaner, greener, healthier and more contented. Keep this book to benchmark the country's progress on that pathway. Yes, it's a steep gradient, but the only way is up.Political change is coming. But the new Westminster government's inheritance looks grim. We're all in it together, the Tories used to say. But they look set to bequeath sharp social divisions, vastly increased inequality, a stagnant economy and unfulfilled commitments on climate change - and all this at a time of unprecedented international tension.The Only Way is Up gives us a ready reckoner on how to repair the damage and set the UK on the path to sustainable growth. Combining the latest data with expert analysis across health, children's services, the economy, environment, policing and defence, Polly Toynbee and David Walker tell the story of what went wrong during the Tories' wild ride and what must now be remedied.

Polly Toynbee and David Walker are co-authors of The Verdict and The Lost Decade. Polly is a columnist for the Guardian and her latest book is An Uneasy Inheritance. David Walker is a former director of the Audit Commission.