The Bow Group is one of the oldest, most influential and prestigious think tanks in the United Kingdom. Taking its name from the Bow area of London where it first met, it was founded in 1951. Their first pamphlet, Coloured People In Britain, was published in 1952. The group conducts research, publishes reports, engages in political debate, and produces the quarterly members magazine Crossbow. This article is about the institution. ... Bow is an area of East London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Bow Group argued that it was open to all Conservatives, and that it neither expressed a collective view nor organised meetings of MPs; rather it adopted an independent freely critical standpoint, was a non-partisan think-tank capable of airing ideas from both the 'one-nation' and libertarian sides of the Conservative Party. Ian Waller, writing in the Sunday Telegraph in 1971, disagreed, making comparisons between the Bow Group and the Conservative Monday Club, said that the two organisations their members and aims, were as different as chalk from cheese, and that the then current mood among Conservatives meant that the Club's rising membership had overtaken that of the Bow Group. Bow Group membership in 1975 stood at 1000. The Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in 1961. ... The Conservative Monday Club (widely known as the Monday Club) is a British pressure-group with its origins in the Conservative Party. ...

In 1984 the Group sought to keep Margaret Thatcher to her election promises, urging her to make tax cuts, reduce public spending, and reform the tax and social security system. The Group is not averse to opposing the policies of the Conservative Party. Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (née Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and only woman to hold either post. ... The Conservative and Unionist Party, more commonly known as the Conservative Party is currently the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ...

In February 2005 it published a report by former government minister, Peter Lilley, strongly opposing Labour Government plans to introduce identity cards into the UK. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Enabling legislation for the British national identity card was passed under the Identity Cards Act 2006. ...

Prominent members of the group have included, Geoffrey Howe, William Rees-Mogg, Norman St John-Stevas, Michael Howard, Norman Lamont, Peter Lilley and Christopher Bland. Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe, Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, PC, QC (born 20 December 1926), known until 1992 as Sir Geoffrey Howe, is a senior British Conservative politician. ... William Rees-Mogg, Baron Rees-Mogg (born July 14, 1928) is a journalist and politician in the United Kingdom. ... Norman Anthony Francis St John-Stevas, Baron St John of Fawsley, PC (born May 18, 1929), is a British Conservative politician, author and barrister. ... The Rt Hon. ... Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont, Baron Lamont of Lerwick, PC (born 8 May 1942) was Conservative Member of Parliament for Kingston-upon-Thames, England from 1972 until 1997. ... Peter Bruce Lilley (born August 23, 1943, Hayes, Kent, England, educated at Dulwich College and Clare College, Cambridge) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament MP since 1983. ... Sir Francis Christopher Buchan Bland (born circa 1939), known as Christopher Bland is a British businessman and politician. ...

Chairmen of the Bow Group

Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe, Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, PC, QC (born 20 December 1926), known until 1992 as Sir Geoffrey Howe, is a senior British Conservative politician. ... The Right Honourable Sir David James George Hennessy, 3rd Baron Windlesham, Bt, CVO, PC (born 28 January 1932) is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom, and currently holds visiting professorships at various universities. ... Tom Ellis Hooson (born 16 March 1933 - 8 May 1985) was a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom for Brecon and Radnor. ... David Arthur Russell Howell, Baron Howell of Guildford, PC, (born January 18, 1936) is a British Conservative politician, journalist, and economic consultant. ... The Right Honourable Sir David James George Hennessy, 3rd Baron Windlesham, Bt, CVO, PC (born 28 January 1932) is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom, and currently holds visiting professorships at various universities. ... John Macgregor (1802-1858) was a Scottish shipbuilder. ... Sir Leon Brittan, Rt. ... Sir Julian Michael Gordon Critchley (8 December 1930 – 9 September 2000) was a politician in the United Kingdom, educated at Shrewsbury School and Pembroke College, Oxford. ... Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler (born 13 January 1934) was a British politician, most notable for being the sole Parliamentary defector from the Conservatives to the Social Democrats. ... Sir Francis Christopher Buchan Bland (born circa 1939), known as Christopher Bland is a British businessman and politician. ... The Rt Hon. ... Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont, Baron Lamont of Lerwick, PC (born 8 May 1942) was Conservative Member of Parliament for Kingston-upon-Thames, England from 1972 until 1997. ... Sir Peter Robert Cable Lloyd (born November 12, 1937) was an English Conservative politician. ... Peter Bruce Lilley (born August 23, 1943, Hayes, Kent, England, educated at Dulwich College and Clare College, Cambridge) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament MP since 1983. ... Peter Bruce Lilley (born August 23, 1943, Hayes, Kent, England, educated at Dulwich College and Clare College, Cambridge) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament MP since 1983. ... Dame Patricia Hodgson, DBE has been the Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge, since August 2006. ... Niranjan Joseph Deva-Aditya, known as Nirj Deva (born May 11, 1948, Colombo, Sri Lanka) is a Sri Lankan-British politician. ... Nigel Christopher Waterson (born 12 October 1950, Leeds) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... Cheryl Elise Kendall Gillan (born April 21, 1952, Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales, Mrs John Leeming) is a United Kingdom politician and has been Conservative Member of Parliament for Chesham and Amersham since 1992. ... Nicholas John Hawkins (born 27 March 1957) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... David Campbell-Bannerman is a British politician and is Chairman of the UK Independence Party. ... Chris Philp is Chairman of the Bow Group, a British centre-right think tank. ...

References

• Copping, Robert, The Story of The Monday Club - The First Decade, Foreword by George Pole, Current Affairs Information Service, Ilford, Essex, April 1972, (P/B), p.28.

• Coxall, Bill, and Lynton Robins, Contemporary British Politics, Macmillan Publishers, London, first published 1989, revised reprint 1992, p.239, (P/B), ISBN 0-333-34046-9

• Barr, James, The Bow Group: A History, Politico's Publishing, London, 2001,

ISBN 1-84275-001-1 George Pole was a Conservative Party member and activist, and an early member (pre-1966) of the Conservative Monday Club, of which he served as National Chairman, 1970-2. ... Macmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately-held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. ...

See also

• List of UK think tanks

This is a list of think tanks in the United Kingdom. ...

External links

• http://www.bowgroup.org/