In British politics, the 1922 Committee consists of all backbench Conservative Members of Parliament, though when the party is in opposition, frontbench MPs other than the party leader may also attend its meetings. It meets every week while Parliament is in session, and provides a way for Tory backbenchers (and indirectly, ordinary party members) to have their views heard by frontbenchers. The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... A backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislature who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition. ... The Conservative Party is the largest political party on the centre-right in the United Kingdom. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ...

The 1922 Committee has a 12-member executive committee, the chairman of which must oversee any election of a new party leader, or any vote of confidence for the current one; such a vote can be triggered by 15 percent of Tory MPs writing a letter to the chairman asking for such a vote. This was invoked most recently on October 28, 2003, when 25 MPs requested a vote of confidence in Iain Duncan Smith by writing to the chairman, Sir Michael Spicer. Duncan Smith lost the vote the next day. A Motion of Confidence is a motion of support proposed by a government in a parliament to give members of parliament a chance to register their confidence for a government by means of a parliamentary vote. ... October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... 2003(MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Iain Duncan Smith The Right Honourable George Iain Duncan Smith (born April 9, 1954) is a British politician. ... Sir Michael William Hardy Spicer (born January 22, 1943, Bath) is the British member of Parliament for West Worcestershire. ...

The committee was formed in 1923, but takes its name from the 1922 General Election. Contrary to popular belief, it does not stem from the famous 1922 meeting in which Conservative MPs successfully demanded that the party withdraw from the coalition government of David Lloyd George. It is true that this act triggered a general election in which many new Conservative MPs were elected, and these new MPs then formed the 1922 Committee. But the founder MPs were not the ones who had taken the decision to break up the coalition government. Subsequently they expanded the group's membership to include virtually all MPs in the party; thus, the name serves as a reminder of the power of the backbench MPs. Jump to: navigation, search 1923 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a cabinet in parliamentary government in which several parties cooperate. ... The Right Honourable David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, OM, PC (January 17, 1863 – March 26, 1945) was a British statesman and the last Liberal to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... United Kingdom general elections are the times when the Members of Parliament forming the House of Commons are elected. ... A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a cabinet in parliamentary government in which several parties cooperate. ...

The body is usually referred to in broadcast media as the 'Backbench 1922 Committee'.

The analogous body for the Labour Party is the Parliamentary Labour Party. Jump to: navigation, search The Labour Party is the principal centre-left political party in the United Kingdom (see British politics). ... The Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) consists of the Labour Party in Parliament: Labour MPs as a collective body. ...

Chairmen

• Marcus Fox (1994 — 1997)
• Archibald Hamilton (1997 — 2001)
• Michael Spicer (2001 — )

Sir John Marcus Fox (June 11, 1927-March 16, 2002) was a British politician. ... The Right Honourable Sir Archibald Hamilton (born 1941) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... Sir Michael William Hardy Spicer (born January 22, 1943, Bath) is the British member of Parliament for West Worcestershire. ...

External links

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/a-z_of_parliament/82575.stm

http://www.explore.parliament.uk/Parliament.aspx?id=746&glossary=true