Conservative Party
Leader	David Cameron
Founded	1830
Headquarters	25 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0DL
Political Ideology	Conservatism
International Affiliation	International Democrat Union
European Affiliation	European Democrat Union
European Parliament Group	ED, within EPP-ED
Colours	Blue
Website	www.conservatives.com
See also	Politics of the U.K. Political parties Elections Image File history File links New-conservative-logo. ... David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician, Leader of the Conservative Party, and Leader of Her Majestys Loyal Opposition in the House of Commons. ... The Houses of Parliament and the clock tower containing Big Ben Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the capital of the United Kingdom and England. ... For related and other uses, see Conservatism (disambiguation) Conservatism [derivative of conserve; from Latin conservare, to keep, guard, observe] in its true and classic sense is a simple philosophy that emphasizes a disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve. Classical conservatism does not readily avail itself to the ideology... The International Democrat Union is an international grouping of conservative and, in some cases, Christian democratic parties. ... The European Democrat Union is the European wing of the International Democrat Union. ... The European Democrats (ED) are a conservative and eurosceptic party grouping with seats in the European Parliament as part of the larger EPP-ED group. ... The European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats is a group in the European Parliament. ... Blue is any of a number of similar colors. ... The politics of the United Kingdom are based upon a unitary state and a constitutional monarchy. ... Political parties in the United Kingdom lists political parties in the United Kingdom. ... The United Kingdom has five distinct types of elections: general, local, regional, European and mayoral. ...

The Conservative Party is the largest political party on the right-of-centre in the United Kingdom. Its current leader is David Cameron, who as Leader of the Opposition heads the Shadow Cabinet. A political party is an organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ... This article is about the minor party founded by Ross Meurant in 1994. ... David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician, Leader of the Conservative Party, and Leader of Her Majestys Loyal Opposition in the House of Commons. ... The Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads Her Majestys Loyal Opposition (the body in Parliament recognized as the Official Opposition). ... The Official Loyal Opposition Shadow Cabinet (normally referred to simply as The Shadow Cabinet) is, in British parliamentary practice, a group of members from Her Majestys Loyal Opposition whose job it is to scrutinise their opposite numbers in government and come up with alternative policies. ...

The Conservative Party is descended from the Tory Party, one of the two ruling parties of 18th and 19th Century British Politics, and its members are still commonly referred to as Tories. Though the Conservatives were considered to be the dominant governing party in the United Kingdom for much of the 19th and 20th Centuries, since losing the 1997 election to the Labour Party under Tony Blair, they have been in 'opposition' in Parliament. The last Conservative Prime Minister was John Major. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ... The Labour Party has been the principal left wing political party of the United Kingdom since the early 20th century (see British politics). ... Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served in the Cabinets of Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer before succeeding Thatcher as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990...

The Conservatives are a member of the International Democrat Union and its European section. Within the European Parliament they are members of an informal bloc called the European Democrats (ED), which sits in a coalition arrangement with the EPP as the EPP-ED group. Cameron has announced his intention to end the partnership between the Eurosceptic and Conservative ED and the more Europhillic and Christian Democratic EPP, although this move has been opposed by some in the party. The International Democrat Union is an international grouping of conservative and, in some cases, Christian democratic parties. ... The European Democrat Union is the European wing of the International Democrat Union. ... The European Parliament is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ... The European Democrats (ED) are a conservative and eurosceptic party grouping with seats in the European Parliament as part of the larger EPP-ED group. ... Logo of the European Peoples Party The European Peoples Party is a Christian democrat-conservative political party at European level founded in 1976. ... The European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats is a group in the European Parliament. ... Euroscepticism is scepticism about, or disagreement with, the purposes of the European Union, sometimes coupled with a desire to preserve national sovereignty. ... Conservatism or political conservatism is any of several historically related political philosophies or political ideologies. ... A Europhile is a term for a person who wants to increase cooperation between governments within the European Union. ... Christian Democracy is a political ideology, born at the end of the 19th century, largely as a result of the papal encyclical Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII, in which the Vatican recognizes workers misery and agrees that something should be done about it, in reaction to the rise of...

Name

The Party's official, though infrequently used, name is The Conservative and Unionist Party. This formal name is a hangover from the 1894 merger with the Liberal Unionist Party, and an echo of the party's defence (1886-1921) of what they then saw as the need to maintain the Union of Great Britain and Ireland. During this period the party and its allies were often referred to as the "Unionist Party". Following the establishment of the Irish Free State, "Conservative" came back into prominence in England and Wales, though "Unionist" remained, referring to the Party's support for British sovereignty in Northern Ireland in opposition to Irish nationalist and republican aspirations. In Scotland the Scottish Unionist Party, who were independent of the Conservative and Unionist Party until 1965, were the main face of the party. Similarly the Ulster Unionist Party supported the Conservatives for many decades in the House of Commons and took the Conservative whip. However, and in contrast to Scotland, this arrangement broke down in the aftermath of the imposition of direct rule in Northern Ireland in 1972. A number of affiliated Conservative organisations, such as the grouping of Conservative electoral agents, also style themselves 'Conservative and Unionist'. The Liberal Unionists were a British political party which split away from the Liberals in 1886, and had effectively merged with the Conservatives by the turn of the century, the formal merger being completed in 1912. ... The Union Flag, in its modern form, was first adopted in 1801. ... The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) was (1922–1937) the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties which were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British and... Dieu et mon droit (Royal motto) (French for God and my right)2 Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages None3 Main languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain MP Area  - Total Ranked... The Scottish Unionist Party is a name of two organisations, one now subsumed into the UK Conservative Party, and the other being a recent creation in response to the Conservative Partys support of the Anglo-Irish Agreement. ... The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP, sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or OUP or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party ) is a moderate unionist political party in Northern Ireland, which formed its government between 1921 and 1972 and was supported by most unionists throughout the Troubles. ... British House of Commons Canadian House of Commons In some bicameral parliaments of a Westminster System, the House of Commons has historically been the name of the elected lower house. ... In politics, a whip is a member of a political party in a legislature whose task is to ensure that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ...

The electoral symbol of the Conservative party is a hand holding a torch. Its present motto, adopted by the Party on 6 December 2005, is Change to Win – Win for Britain. This replaces the previous slogan, Today's Britain Tomorrow's Conservatives. The official party colours are red, white and blue, though blue is most generally associated with the party in contrast to the red of the Labour Party. December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Conservative Party today

David Cameron, leader of the Conservative party

However illustrious the history and recent political past of the Conservative party, it has been out of Government since 1997. The party, largest in the British Parliament after the Labour Party provides the Official Opposition to the Labour Government of Tony Blair. As of 7 May 2005, Labour holds a 64-member majority in the House of Commons, with 353 Members of Parliament; the Conservatives provide 196 Members of Parliament and the Liberal Democrats follow with 63 Members. Image File history File links David_Cameron_. ... Image File history File links David_Cameron_. ... David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician, Leader of the Conservative Party, and Leader of Her Majestys Loyal Opposition in the House of Commons. ... The Labour Party has been the principal left wing political party of the United Kingdom since the early 20th century (see British politics). ... The Official Opposition (more formally, Her Majestys Loyal Opposition) in the United Kingdom is usually the largest political party or coalition which is not a member of the government. ... May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... British House of Commons Canadian House of Commons In some bicameral parliaments of a Westminster System, the House of Commons has historically been the name of the elected lower house. ... 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 Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ...

Conservative leaders since 1997 have faced difficulties in returning the party to being a serious contender for government. John Major's successor, William Hague, resigned after a second landslide defeat in 2001. Iain Duncan Smith, the leader after 2001, was deposed in a vote of no confidence in 2003, to be followed by Michael Howard. Howard reduced the Labour majority at the 2005 general election, but the day after the poll he announced that he would resign "sooner rather than later", citing his age as the principal reason for his resignation. The party had only marginally increased its share of the national vote to 32.3%, and though the Conservatives had narrowly overtaken the ruling Labour Party in popularity in England, and retaken a few parliamentary seats back from the Liberal Democrats, they still had 158 fewer Members of Parliament than the Labour Party ensuring a third defeat. Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served in the Cabinets of Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer before succeeding Thatcher as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990... William Hague The Right Honourable William Jefferson Hague (born March 26, 1961) is a British politician, the Member of Parliament for Richmond, North Yorkshire, former leader of the Conservative Party, and currently Shadow Foreign Secretary. ... Rt. ... The Rt. ... The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 and won by the Labour Party, led by Tony Blair. ...

An historic third term for their Labour Party opponents underlined the need for serious change within the Conservative Party. A fourth leadership contest in as many years resulted in December of 2005 in the election of David Cameron, beating the early favourite David Davis in a ballot of the nationwide party membership and with a mandate to reform and realign the party to a more centrist position in British politics. Though figures on the left have tried to make political capital of Cameron's education at Eton College, a successful but privileged fee-paying school, the British press have so far lionised the youthful and moderate Cameron. Some commentators have named him the 'heir to Blair', as latest UK opinion polls give the Conservative Party a lead over a Labour Party led either by Prime Minister Tony Blair or his most likely sucessor Gordon Brown. David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician, Leader of the Conservative Party, and Leader of Her Majestys Loyal Opposition in the House of Commons. ... David Davis The Right Honourable David Michael Davis (born December 23, 1948) is a British politician, Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden and Shadow Home Secretary. ... The Kings College of Our Lady of Eton beside Windsor, commonly known as Eton College or just Eton, is a prestigious independent school for boys. ... This article is about the British Chancellor of the Exchequer. ...

The internal organisation of the Conservative Party is a contrast between constituency parties who dominate in the selection of candidates and election of party leaders, and a central administration (Conservative Central Office) which leads in the financing and organisation of elections. The party in parliament and the leader of the party provide the core of daily political activity, and form policy in consultation with the central administration. As with Labour, party membership has long been declining and often falls below 100 in parliamentary seats where a Conservative candidate is unlikely ever to be elected. Nevertheless, following the dramatic decline in membership of the Labour party in the last 10 years, and a recent boost in Conservative party membership following the election of David Cameron as party leader, the Conservative party now has more members (around 290,000) than the Labour party and Liberal Democrats combined (around 200,000 and 70,000 respectively).

According to accounts filed with the Electoral Commission it had income in the year ending December 31, 2004 of about £20 million and expenditure of about £26 million. [1] The Electorial Commission is an independent body with powers in the United Kingdom, which was created by an Act of Parliament, the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. ...

Policies

Conservative Party policies are generally supportive of reduced government intervention in the economic sphere (e.g. through tax cuts and privatisations) and increased government intervention in the social or cultural sphere (e.g. through the 'defence' of the traditional family and through restrictions on immigration). Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or — especially in India — disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership. ...

They are also noted for their Eurosceptic stance. Many commentators believe that their failures in UK politics from 1997 were partly the result of continued internal tension between Europhiles (such as Kenneth Clarke and Michael Heseltine) and Eurosceptics (such as John Redwood and William Hague). However, the Conservative party has in recent years come to terms with these issues, or has at least ceased to argue quite as publicly over what undoubtedly remains a contentious issue within the Party. Consecutive Conservative Party Leaders have pleaded for their MPs to unite behind them over the issue of Europe and it would appear that, for the time being at least, this plea is being heeded. Even the archetypal pro-European, Kenneth Clarke, has reluctantly accepted the party line on this contentious issue. Euroscepticism is scepticism about, or disagreement with, the purposes of the European Union, sometimes coupled with a wish to preserve national sovereignty. ... Kenneth Clarke The Right Honourable Kenneth Harry Clarke, QC, MP, (born 2 July 1940) is a leading Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. ... Michael Heseltine walks out of the cabinet meeting having resigned, January 9, 1986 The Right Honourable Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC (born 21 March 1933), is a British Conservative politician and businessman. ... John Redwood The Right Honourable Dr John Alan Redwood (born June 15, 1951 in Dover, Kent) is a British Conservative Party politician, Member of Parliament for Wokingham and Shadow Secretary of State for Deregulation in the Shadow Cabinet. ... William Hague The Right Honourable William Jefferson Hague (born March 26, 1961) is a British politician, the Member of Parliament for Richmond, North Yorkshire, former leader of the Conservative Party, and currently Shadow Foreign Secretary. ...

Conservatives are also generally opposed to devolution to the national and English regions of the UK, prefering a unitary centralised state. They opposed devolution to Wales and Scotland in 1999, whilst supporting it for Northern Ireland, as well as the unsuccessful attempt at devolution of power to North East England in 2004. However, since the New Labour government introduced devolution the Conservatives have pledged not to reverse the situation to its pre-1997 status. It has been suggested that Devolved government be merged into this article or section. ... For an explanation of often confusing terms such as Great Britain, Britain, United Kingdom and England, see British Isles (terminology). ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Dieu et mon droit (Royal motto) (French for God and my right)2 Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages None3 Main languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain MP Area  - Total Ranked... North East England is one of the regions of England. ...

Economic policy

During much of the twentieth century the Conservative Party was considered the "natural party of government", a position founded upon the party's reputation for pragmatism and economic competence. The contrast with Labour's perceived poor twentieth-century record remained strong, even as the Conservative governments of the 1980s presided over mass unemployment (peaking at 11% in 1986) on a scale which had not been seen since the 1930s. The party's economic reputation was, however, dealt a fatal blow by the 1992 Black Wednesday debacle, in which billions of pounds were wasted trying to keep the pound within the European ERM system of exchange rates at an overvalued rate. This, combined with the deep recession of the early 1990s, allowed Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to claim from the Conservatives the mantle of economic competence. Many on both the left and right have since argued that New Labour's embrace of market forces and public sector modernisation amounted to little more than stealing the Conservative Party's economic clothes. The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... In economics, a person who is able and willing to work at prevailing wage rate yet is unable to find a paying job is considered unemployed. ... // Events and trends A public speech by Benito Mussolini, founder of the Fascist movement The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the global depression. ... In British politics and economics, Black Wednesday (or White Wednesday in euro-sceptic parlance) refers to September 16, 1992 when the government was forced to withdraw the Pound from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) by currency speculators—most notably George Soros who earned over USD$1 billion in doing... The European exchange rate mechanism (or ERM) was a system introduced by the European Community in March 1979, as part of the European Monetary System (EMS), to reduce exchange-rate variability and achieve monetary stability in Europe, in preparation for Economic and Monetary Union and the introduction of a single... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. ... This article is about the British Chancellor of the Exchequer. ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition... In politics, right-wing, the political right, or simply the right, are terms which refer, with no particular precision, to the segment of the political spectrum in opposition to left-wing politics. ... New Labour is an alternative name of the British political Labour Party. ...

Though they claim that the Thatcherite reforms of the 1980s which sought to lower rising inflation by radical measures (leading in part to higher unemployment) reversed a situation in Britain of relative economic decline, the Conservatives have yet to regain a reputation for economic competence. As a result of the dominance of the Labour Party in debates over economic policy, recent Conservative election campaigns have focused much more on low-salience social or cultural issues such as crime, immigration and asylum. The party has even felt it necessary to commit to matching Labour spending plans - a reverse of the situation in 1997. The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... The Labour Party has been the principal left wing political party of the United Kingdom since the early 20th century (see British politics). ... A refugee is a person seeking asylum in a foreign country in order to escape persecution. ...

Following the 1997 general election, the Conservative Party opposed Labour's flagship policy for economic stability: the decision to commit the Bank of England to a goal of low and stable inflation, and to grant it independent control of interest rates to meet this target. Economists have long advocated independent central banks as a means of depoliticising monetary policy and overcoming the problem of time inconsistency (a situation in game theory which shows how a policymaker who cares about both low unemployment and low inflation will achieve neither). Moreover, the 1990s saw a number of countries (e.g. New Zealand) pursue such reforms to great effect. However, the Conservatives opposed Bank of England independence, which they felt was a prelude to British membership of the European single currency. They also expressed concern over the removal of monetary policy from democratic control. In the end though, the popularity of this policy amongst economists and the financial community, along with its success at keeping down inflation, has led the Conservatives to renege on their initial opposition and embrace Labour's reform. The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom, sometimes known as The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street or The Old Lady. The nearest London Underground station is Bank station. ... An interest rate is the rental price of money. ... Monetary policy is the government or central bank process of managing money supply to achieve specific goals—such as constraining inflation, achieving full employment or economic growth. ... In game theory and economics, dynamic inconsistency, or time inconsistency is situation in a dynamic game, where a players best plan for some future period will not be optimal when that future period arrives; The plan is inconsistent over time. ... Game theory is a branch of applied mathematics that studies strategic situations where players choose different actions in an attempt to maximize their returns. ...

The Conservative Party remains committed to a programme of tax cuts, part of the intellectual legacy of the Thatcher years. Newly elected leader David Cameron has said that the country needed a "dynamic and competitive economy" where the proceeds of growth should be shared between "tax reduction and extra public investment".

Aside from tax cuts, the most notable Conservative economic policy of recent years has probably been opposition to the European single currency. Anticipating the growing euroscepticism within his party, John Major negotiated a British opt-out from the single currency in the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, although several members of Major's cabinet (Kenneth Clarke, Michael Heseltine, Stephen Dorrell) were personally supportive of EMU participation. Following Major's resignation after the 1997 defeat, the Conservatives have had a succession of leaders (William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith, Michael Howard and David Cameron) from the eurosceptic wing of British politics, and these men have positioned the party firmly against future EMU integration. This policy is broadly in-line with the mood of the British electorate although voters typically rank Europe as a low importance issue next to education or healthcare, partly explaining why the Conservatives have been unable to convert their most popular policy into actual votes. The euro (symbol: €; banking code: EUR) is the single currency of the following twelve European Union member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain; collectively also known as the eurozone. ... Euroscepticism is scepticism about, or disagreement with, the purposes of the European Union, sometimes coupled with a wish to preserve national sovereignty. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served in the Cabinets of Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer before succeeding Thatcher as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990... The Maastricht Treaty (formally, the Treaty on European Union) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht between the members of the European Community and entered into force on 1 November 1993, under the Delors Commission. ... Kenneth Clarke The Right Honourable Kenneth Harry Clarke, QC, MP, (born 2 July 1940) is a leading Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. ... Michael Heseltine walks out of the cabinet meeting having resigned, January 9, 1986 The Right Honourable Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC (born 21 March 1933), is a British Conservative politician and businessman. ... The Right Honourable Stephen James Dorrell (born March 25, 1952) is an English politician and Conservative Member of Parliament for Charnwood. ... William Hague The Right Honourable William Jefferson Hague (born March 26, 1961) is a British politician, the Member of Parliament for Richmond, North Yorkshire, former leader of the Conservative Party, and currently Shadow Foreign Secretary. ... Rt. ... The Rt. ... David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician, Leader of the Conservative Party, and Leader of Her Majestys Loyal Opposition in the House of Commons. ...

Social policy

The Conservative Party has historically been associated with social conservatism, views which have often been reflected in the party's social policies. One of the more controversial examples of Conservative social conservatism was Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which outlawed "the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship". This legislation was regarded by some as homophobic, and is seen to have driven many liberal-minded individuals away from the party (most notably former Conservative MP Shaun Woodward, who defected to Labour in 1999 after William Hague sacked him from the shadow cabinet for refusing to support Section 28 in a parliamentary vote). However according to opinion polls the public was in favour of retaining Section 28 [2]. Social conservatism is a belief in traditional or natural law-based morality and social mores and the desire to preserve these in present day society, often through civil law or regulation. ... 1988 Sir Ian McKellen with Michael Cashman at the Gay Rights March on Manchester in protest of Section 28. ... The United Kingdom Local Government Act of 1988 was famous for introducing the controversial Section 28 into law. ... Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ... The term homophobia means a fear of or contempt for homosexuality or homosexuals or the fear of becoming homosexual. ... Shaun Anthony Woodward (born October 26, 1958, Bristol) is a British politician, and Labour Member of Parliament for St Helens South. ... William Hague The Right Honourable William Jefferson Hague (born March 26, 1961) is a British politician, the Member of Parliament for Richmond, North Yorkshire, former leader of the Conservative Party, and currently Shadow Foreign Secretary. ...

Many Conservative modernisers have claimed that the traditional and authoritarian nature of past Conservative social policies played a major role in the decline of the party in the 1990s and early 2000s. For example, David Willetts has criticised what he termed "the war on single parents", whilst former Conservative Party Chairman Brian Mawhinney observed that the party had "created the impression that if you weren't in a traditional nuclear family, then we weren't interested in you". David Willetts David Lindsay Willetts (born March 9, 1956) is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Havant, in the United Kingdom. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Right Honourable Brian Stanley Mawhinney, Baron Mawhinney, PC (born 26 July 1940) is a British politician. ...

Since 1997, a debate has therefore raged within the party between modernisers such as Michael Portillo, who believe that the Conservatives should change their social views in line with 21st century Britain, and traditionalists such as William Hague and David Davis, who argue that the party should stick to its traditional conservative social agenda. The Conservative Party grassroots have pushed in the latter direction, helping the right wing of the party win many of these political battles. This famously resulted in William Hague's and Michael Howard's pre-election swings to the right (in 2001 and 2005, respectively), and the election of the stop-Ken Clarke candidate Iain Duncan Smith in 2001. Theresa May famously remarked that the result of all this was that the Conservatives were perceived as "the nasty party". Rt. ... William Hague The Right Honourable William Jefferson Hague (born March 26, 1961) is a British politician, the Member of Parliament for Richmond, North Yorkshire, former leader of the Conservative Party, and currently Shadow Foreign Secretary. ... David Davis The Right Honourable David Michael Davis (born December 23, 1948) is a British politician, Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden and Shadow Home Secretary. ... This article is about Kenneth Clarke the politician, not Kenneth Clark the art historian. ... Rt. ... Theresa May The Right Honourable Theresa Mary May (born in Eastbourne, Sussex on October 1, 1956 as Theresa Mary Brasier) is a British politician, former chairman of the Conservative Party, and Member of Parliament for Maidenhead. ...

One issue on which the Conservative's libertarian and authoritarian tendencies were visibly in conflict was the party's position on ID cards. At first it supported a measure that some considered valuable in the fight against crime and terrorism. However, before the 2005 election, Shadow Home Secretary David Davis decided to position himself against the introduction of ID cards. At the same time, he argued within the Shadow Cabinet that escalating cost estimates and the need to protect libertarian values meant that the proposals should be opposed. Subsequently, the party altered its line, first allowing a free vote on ID cards and then opposing them outright. This was viewed by some as a victory for Davis, and a clever means for him to attempt to reach out to liberal Conservatives before the 2005 leadership election (which Davis subsequently lost). After many years of discussion through successive governments, in 2003 the then British Home Secretary David Blunkett announced that the government intends to introduce a British national identity card linked to a national identity database, the National Identity Register, which ID card detractors fear will track all residents of the... David Davis The Right Honourable David Michael Davis (born December 23, 1948) is a British politician, Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden and Shadow Home Secretary. ...

The 2005 election saw the first black Conservative MP, Adam Afriyie, elected in Windsor. This contrasts positively with the situation in Cheltenham thirteen years earlier, when the black Conservative candidate John Taylor was defeated defending a marginal Conservative seat, allegedly due to the unwillingness of local Conservative voters to support a non-white candidate. Conservative modernisers point to Afriyie's election as evidence that the party is changing, though opponents argue that the election of a single black MP doesn't count for much against the perceived right-wing anti-immigrant campaign fought by the Conservatives in 2005. Adam Afriyie (born 4 August 1965, Wimbledon, London), British politician, is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Windsor. ... Windsor is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Cheltenham is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... John David Beckett Taylor, Baron Taylor of Warwick (born 1952) is a British politician and Conservative member of the House of Lords. ... Anti-immigration is a label often applied to those who are opposed to having significant levels of immigration in their countries. ...

Foreign Policy

Historically the Conservative party has taken a broadly Atlanticist stance in relations with the United States favouring close ties with America and a range of other similarly-aligned nations such as Canada, Australia and Japan. The Conservatives have generally favoured a diverse range of international alliances, ranging from NATO to the Commonwealth. Though the US-British relationship in foreign affairs has often been termed a 'Special Relationship' this has often been observed most clearly where leaders in each country are of a similar political stripe. Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher built a close relationship with American President Ronald Reagan in his opposition to the former Soviet Union, but John Major was largely unsuccessful in his personal contacts with former Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Out of power and perceived as largely irrelevant, recent Conservative leaders have struggled to forge personal relationships with US Presidents. The strong bilateral relationship between George W. Bush and Tony Blair would likely remain should Cameron or another Conservative leader take power alongside a Republican US President, or alongside a Democratic President with a similar view on international affairs, although the UK Conservative Party is more ideologically in line with the US Republican Party. Atlanticism is a philosophy of cooperation among European and North American nations regarding political, economic, and defense issues. ... The NATO flag NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, D.C., on... // Definition and linguistics The original phrase common wealth or the common weal is a calque translation of the Latin term res publica (public thing), from which the word republic comes, which was itself used as a synonym for the Greek politeia as well as for the republican (i. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) is a British politician and a former barrister and chemist. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served in the Cabinets of Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer before succeeding Thatcher as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990... The presidential seal was first used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... George Herbert Walker Bush, GCB, (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States (1989–1993). ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States. ... The Republican Party was established in 1854 by a coalition of former Whigs, Northern Democrats, and Free-Soilers who opposed the expansion of slavery and held a Hamiltonian vision for modernizing the United States. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other one being the Republican Party. ...

As a direct result of the party's strong commitment to an Atlanticist and free-market foreign policy, no subject has more divided the Conservative Party in recent history than the UK's relations with the European Union. Though the principal architect of Britain’s entry into the then-Common Market (later European Community and European Union) was Conservative PM Edward Heath, the bulk of Conservative opinion has long opposed closer economic and particularly political relations with Europe. Divisions on Europe came to the fore under the premiership of John Major(1990-1997) when the slow process of integration within the EU forced tensions to the surface; a hard core of Eurosceptic Members of Parliament took advantage of the small Conservative majority in Parliament to oppose Government policy on the Maastricht Treaty (which sought to further integrate policy-making in the EU) and undermined the Government's credibility. The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG , MBE (July 9, 1916 – July 17, 2005), soldier and politician, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served in the Cabinets of Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer before succeeding Thatcher as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990... Euroscepticism is scepticism about, or disagreement with, the purposes of the European Union, sometimes coupled with a wish to preserve national sovereignty. ... The Maastricht Treaty (formally, the Treaty on European Union) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht between the members of the European Community and entered into force on 1 November 1993, under the Delors Commission. ...

In recent years the Conservative Party has become more clearly Eurosceptic as the Labour Government has found itself unable to make a positive case for further integration and as Eurosceptic or pro-withdrawal parties such as the UK Independence Party have made strong showings in UK elections to the European Parliament. Though providing little clear benefit in recent parliamentary elections, the Conservative Party has adopted a policy on Europe (supported by the new Conservative leader David Cameron and his equally Eurosceptic Foreign Affairs spokesman William Hague) which would include the renegotiation of key EU treaties and the return of a number of powers back to the UK; opinion polls generally identify Conservative policy on Europe as closer to public opinion than that of either the Labour or Liberal Democrat parties. The degree to which a Conservative Government could implement policy on Europe would depend directly on the willingness of other EU member states to agree to such policies; much would rest on the potential threat or risk of British withdrawal from the EU should other states prove unwilling. The United Kingdom Independence Party (commonly known as UKIP, pronounced you-kip) is a right-wing political party that aims at British withdrawal from the European Union. ... David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician, Leader of the Conservative Party, and Leader of Her Majestys Loyal Opposition in the House of Commons. ... Euroscepticism is scepticism about, or disagreement with, the purposes of the European Union, sometimes coupled with a desire to preserve national sovereignty. ... William Hague The Right Honourable William Jefferson Hague (born March 26, 1961) is a British politician, the Member of Parliament for Richmond, North Yorkshire, former leader of the Conservative Party, and currently Shadow Foreign Secretary. ...

Beyond relations with the United States, Commonwealth and the EU, the Conservative Party has generally supported a pro-free trade foreign policy within the mainstream of international affairs. The degree to which Conservative Governments have supported interventionist or non-interventionist Presidents in the US has often varied with the personal relations between US President and British Prime Minister.

History

Main articles: History of the Conservative Party and Leaders of the Conservative Party The origins of the Conservative Party go back to the Tory faction of 1678-1681 which opposed the exclusion of the Duke of York, later King James VII&II, from the order of succession to the throne. ... Leaders of the Conservative Party since 1834. ...

Benjamin Disraeli
Prime Minister 1868, 1874-80

The origins of the Conservative Party go back to the Tory faction of 1678-1681 which opposed the exclusion of the Duke of York, later King James VII&II, from the order of succession to the throne. The term 'Conservative' was first used by George Canning in the 1820s and was suggested as a title for the party by John Wilson Croker in the 1830s and later officially adopted under the aegis of Sir Robert Peel, but the party is still often referred to as the 'Tory Party' (not least because newspaper editors find it a convenient shorthand when space is limited). The Tories more often than not formed the government from the accession of King George III (in 1760) until the Great Reform Act of 1832. Download high resolution version (500x605, 87 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (500x605, 87 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Events March 4 - Charles II of England grants a land charter to William Penn for the area that will later become Pennsylvania. ... The Exclusion Bill crisis ran from 1678 till 1681. ... James II of England and VII of Scotland ( 14 October 1633–16 September 1701 ) became King of England, King of Scots, and King of Ireland from 6 February 1685. ... The Right Honourable George Canning (11 April 1770-8 August 1827) was a British politician who served as Foreign Secretary and, briefly, Prime Minister. ... Events and Trends Nationalistic independence movements helped reshape the world during this decade: Greece declares independence from the Ottoman Empire (1821). ... John Wilson Croker (December 20, 1780 - August 10, 1857) was a British statesman and author. ... // Events and Trends Electromagnetic induction discovered by Michael Faraday Dutch-speaking farmers known as Voortrekkers emigrate northwards from the Cape Colony Croquet invented in Ireland Railroad construction begins in earnest in the United States Egba refugees fleeing the Yoruba civil wars found the city of Abeokuta in south-west Nigeria... This article is about the British Prime Minister. ... George III (George William Frederick) (4 June 1738 – 29 January 1820) was King of Great Britain, and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until 1 January 1801, and there after King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death. ... The Reform Act of 1832 (known also as the Great Reform Act and The Parliamentary Reform Act 1832) introduced wide-ranging changes to electoral franchise legislation in the United Kingdom. ...

Widening of the franchise in the 19th century led the party to popularise its approach, especially under Lord Derby and Benjamin Disraeli who carried through their own Reform Act in 1868. After 1886 the Conservatives allied with Liberal Unionists who opposed their party's support for Irish Home Rule and held office under Lord Salisbury for all but three of the following twenty years, but when it split over tariff reform, the party suffered a landslide election defeat. Arms of Edward Smith-Stanley Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC (March 29, 1799 - October 23, 1869) was a British statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and is to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. ... The Right Honourable Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, KG, PC (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman and literary figure. ... The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the 1920s, and a third party of varying strength and importance up to 1988, when it merged with the Social Democratic Party (the SDP) to form a new party which would become... Devolution or Home rule is the pooling of powers from central government to government at regional or local level. ... The Most Honourable Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC (3 February 1830–22 August 1903), known as Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and as Viscount Cranborne from 1865 until 1868, was a British statesman and Prime Minister. ...

World War I saw an all-party coalition and the Conservatives then stayed in Coalition with half of the Liberals for four years after the armistice. Eventually, grassroots pressure forced the breakup of the Coalition and the party regained power on its own. It again dominated the political scene in the inter-war period, from 1931 in a 'National Government' coalition. However in the 1945 general election the party lost power in a landslide to the Labour Party. Combatants Allies: • Serbia, • Russia, • France, • Romania, • Belgium, • British Empire and Dominions, • United States, • Italy, • ...and others Central Powers: • Germany, • Austria-Hungary, • Ottoman Empire, • Bulgaria Casualties 5 million military, 3 million civilian (full list) 3 million military, 3 million civilian (full list) World War I, also known as the First World... In the United Kingdom the term National Government is in an abstract sense used to refer to a coalition of some or all major political parties. ... The United Kingdom General Election of 1945 held on 5 July 1945 but not counted and declared until 26 July 1945 (due to the time it took to transport the votes of those serving overseas) was one of the most significant general elections of the 20th century. ... The Labour Party has been the principal left wing political party of the United Kingdom since the early 20th century (see British politics). ...

After the end of the Second World War, the Conservatives accepted the reality of the Labour government's nationalisation programme and creation of the 'welfare state', but when it returned to power promoted an economic boom, under Winston Churchill and later Harold Macmillan, which led back to prosperity in the 1950s. The Heath government of 1970-74 was notable for taking Britain into the EEC, a decision which would have a significant effect on the party over subsequent decades. In 1975 Margaret Thatcher became leader and converted it to support a monetarist economic programme; after her election victory in 1979 her government became known for a free-market approach and privatisation of public utilities. Here, the Conservatives experienced a high-point, Thatcher leading the Conservatives to two landslide election victories in 1983 and 1987. However, she was deeply unpopular in some sections of society, initially for the massive unemployment caused by the economic reforms, and later for what was seen as a heavy-handed response to the Miners' strike, and for her introduction of the Community Charge, known by its opponents as the poll tax and repealed in 1993 in favour of the council tax, essentially the previous rates system by another name. Combatants Allies: • Soviet Union, • UK & Commonwealth, • USA, • France/Free France, • China, • Poland, • ...and others Axis: • Germany, • Japan, • Italy, • ...and others Casualties Military dead: 18 million Civilian dead: 33 million Full list Military dead: 7 million Civilian dead: 4 million Full list World War II, also known as the Second World... The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British politician, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. ... The Right Honourable Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894–29 December 1986), nicknamed Supermac and Mac the Knife, was a British Conservative politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. ... // Events and No. ... Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG , MBE (July 9, 1916 – July 17, 2005), soldier and politician, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) is a British politician and a former barrister and chemist. ... Monetarism is a set of views concerning the determination of national income and monetary economics. ... The miners strike of 1984-5 was a major piece of industrial action affecting the British coal industry. ... A poll tax, head tax, soul tax, or capitation is a tax of a uniform, fixed amount per individual (as opposed to a percentage of income). ... The Council Tax is the main form of local taxation in England, Scotland and Wales. ... Rates are a form of taxation system in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, such as New Zealand, historically used to fund local government. ...

However, Thatcher's increasing unpopularity and unwillingness to change policies perceived as vote-losing, together with internal tensions over European policy, led to her being deposed in 1990. She was replaced by John Major who won an unexpected election victory in 1992. Major's government suffered a political blow when the Pound Sterling was forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism later that year, which lost the party much of its reputation for good financial stewardship. In addition the party was increasingly accused in the media of sleaze. An effective opposition campaign by the Labour Party led to a landslide defeat in 1997. Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served in the Cabinets of Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer before succeeding Thatcher as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990... UKP redirects here. ... The European exchange rate mechanisms (or ERM) was a system introduced by the European Community in March 1979, as part of the European Monetary System (EMS), to reduce exchange-rate variability and achieve monetary stability in Europe, in preparation for Economic and Monetary Union and the introduction of a single... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Politics of the United Kingdom. ...

William Hague (1997 - 2001) portrayed himself at first as a moderniser with a common touch. However by the time the 2001 general election came he concentrated on Europe, asylum seekers and tax cuts whilst declaring that only the Conservative Party could "Save the Pound". He was seen as a political lightweight by many, and was widely mocked for his claim that he drank 14 imperial pints (8 l) of beer in a day in his youth. Despite a low turnout, the election resulted in a net gain of a single seat for the Conservative Party and William Hague's resignation as party leader. William Hague The Right Honourable William Jefferson Hague (born March 26, 1961) is a British politician, the Member of Parliament for Richmond, North Yorkshire, former leader of the Conservative Party, and currently Shadow Foreign Secretary. ... The UK general election, 2001 was held on 7 June 2001 and was dubbed the quiet landslide by the media. ...

Iain Duncan Smith (2001-2003) (often known as IDS) was a strong Eurosceptic but this did not define his leadership - indeed it was during his tenure that Europe ceased to be an issue of division in the party as it united behind calls for a referendum on the proposed European Union Constitution. Duncan Smith's Shadow Cabinet contained many new and unfamiliar faces but despite predictions by some that the party would lurch to the right the team instead followed a pragmatic moderate approach to policy. After losing a vote of confidence, Duncan Smith remained as caretaker leader until Michael Howard, MP for Folkestone and Hythe, was elected to the post of leader (as the only candidate) on 6 November 2003. Rt. ... Euroscepticism is scepticism about, or disagreement with, the purposes of the European Union, sometimes coupled with a wish to preserve national sovereignty. ... The Treaty establishing a constitution for Europe is a proposed constitutional treaty for the European Union. ... The Shadow Cabinet (also called the Front Bench) is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster System of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition (or the leader of other smaller opposition parties) form an alternative cabinet to the governments, whose members... The Rt. ... 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. ... Map sources for Folkestone at grid reference TR2236 Folkestone is a coastal resort town in the Shepway district of Kent, England. ... Map sources for Hythe at grid reference TR158350 The small seaside resort and town of Hythe, in the District of Shepway, (derived from sheep-way, since shepherds drove their flocks across Romney Marsh and the Downs) is one of the five original Cinque Ports on the south coast of Kent... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Howard announced radical changes to the way the Shadow Cabinet would work. He slashed the number of members by half, with Theresa May and Tim Yeo each shadowing two government departments. Minor departments still have shadows but have been removed from the cabinet, and the post of Shadow Leader of the House of Commons was abolished. The role of party chairman was also split into two, with Lord Saatchi responsible for the party machine, and Liam Fox handling publicity. Michael Portillo was offered a position but refused, due to his plans to step down from Parliament at the next election. The Shadow Cabinet (also called the Front Bench) is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster System of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition (or the leader of other smaller opposition parties) form an alternative cabinet to the governments, whose members... Theresa May The Right Honourable Theresa Mary May (born in Eastbourne, Sussex on October 1, 1956 as Theresa Mary Brasier) is a British politician, former chairman of the Conservative Party, and Member of Parliament for Maidenhead. ... Tim Yeo Timothy Stephen Kenneth Yeo MP (born March 20, 1945) is a British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for South Suffolk. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and is now the dominant branch of Parliament. ... Lord Saatchi Maurice Saatchi, Baron Saatchi, born June 21, 1946 is the co-founder of advertising agencies Saatchi and Saatchi and M&C Saatchi. ... Conservative MP Liam Fox Dr Liam Fox, MP (born September 22, 1961) is a UK Conservative politician, currently Shadow Defence Secretary and Member of Parliament for Woodspring. ... Rt. ...

In the 2005 general election, the Conservative Party made a partial recovery, increasing their share of the vote by around 0.6% (up to 32.3%). However, due to a tactical unwind by Liberal Democrat voters (many of whom were no longer willing to back the Labour party in Labour vs. Conservative marginal seats), the Conservatives made a net gain of 33 seats. This helped slash the Labour majority from 167 seats down to 66 and made the Conservatives the largest party in England. The day after the election, on May 6, Howard announced that he believed himself too old to lead the party into another election campaign, and he would therefore be stepping down to allow a new leader the time to prepare for the next election. Howard said that he believed that the party needed to amend the rules governing the election of the Party leader, and that he would allow time for that to happen before resigning. Barring a change in the law, the next general election in the United Kingdom must be held some time before June 30, 2006. ... In voting systems, tactical voting (or strategic voting) occurs when a voter misrepresents his or her sincere preferences in order to gain a more favorable outcome. ... Liberal democracy is a form of representative democracy where elected representatives that hold the decision power are moderated by a constitution that emphasizes protecting individual liberties and the rights of minorities in society, such as freedom of speech and assembly, freedom of religion, the right to private property and privacy... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ...

Further information: Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 2005, and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]]

David Cameron was victorious in the subsequent leadership campaign. Cameron beat his closest rival David Davis by a margin of more than two to one, taking 134,446 votes to 64,398, and has announced his intention to reform and realign the Conservative Party in a manner similar to that achieved by the Labour Party in opposition under Tony Blair. British opinion polls have already begun to swing in the Conservative's favour and put Cameron ahead of either PM Blair or Blair's most likely successor Gordon Brown at a future General Election; the perceived realignment of the Conservatives to a more moderate and centrist position seems also to have caused a leadership crisis within the Liberal Democrats, who might have most to lose from a resurgent Conservative Party. David Cameron was elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for the Witney constituency in West Oxfordshire in June 2001 The 2005 Conservative leadership election was announced by party leader Michael Howard on May 6, 2005, when he announced that he would be stepping down as leader in the near future. ... David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician, Leader of the Conservative Party, and Leader of Her Majestys Loyal Opposition in the House of Commons. ... David Davis The Right Honourable David Michael Davis (born December 23, 1948) is a British politician, Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden and Shadow Home Secretary. ... This article is about the British Chancellor of the Exchequer. ...

Internal Factions

There are three main political factions within the modern Conservative Party:

One Nation Conservatives were the dominant faction for most of the post-war era, providing Conservative Prime Ministers such as Harold MacMillan (1957-1963) and Edward Heath (1970-1974). The name comes from a famous phrase of Benjamin Disraeli and the basis of One Nation Conservatism is a belief in social cohesion, and advocates therefore support social institutions that maintain harmony between people of different classes (and more recently, people of different races or religions). These institutions have typically included the welfare state, the BBC, and local government. One Nation Conservatives are usually seen as being socially liberal, since tolerance is viewed as an important factor in social cohesion. Many are also supporters of the European Union, perhaps stemming from an extension of the cohesion principle to the international level, though some are strongly hostile to the EU (such as Sir Peter Tapsell). Prominent One Nation Conservatives in the modern party include Kenneth Clarke, Malcolm Rifkind and Damian Green, and the faction is associated with the internal pressure group, the Tory Reform Group. One Nation, One Nation Conservatism, or Tory Democracy is a term used in political debate in the United Kingdom and sometimes Canada to refer to the moderate wing of the Conservative Party, and the Red Tory wing of the original Progressive Conservative Party in Canada who like to describe themselves... The Right Honourable Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894–29 December 1986), nicknamed Supermac and Mac the Knife, was a British Conservative politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG , MBE (July 9, 1916 – July 17, 2005), soldier and politician, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... The Right Honourable Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, KG, PC (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman and literary figure. ... There are three main interpretations of the idea of a welfare state: the provision of welfare services by the state. ... Corporate logo of the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... Local governments are administrative offices of an area smaller than a state. ... Sir Peter Hannay Bailey Tapsell (born 1 February 1930, Hove) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... Kenneth Clarke The Right Honourable Kenneth Harry Clarke, QC, MP, (born 2 July 1940) is a leading Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. ... The Right Honourable Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind, KCMG, QC (born 21 June 1946) is a UK Conservative politician and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Kensington and Chelsea. ... Damian Howard Green (born January 17, 1956) is an English Conservative Party (UK) politician, and Member of Parliament for Ashford (UK Parliament constituency) in Kent. ... The Tory Reform Group (TRG) is a group within the United Kingdoms Conservative Party, that uphold the One Nation Tory vision, which they describe as being the promotion of: Social justice Political progress Prosperity for all It is a common misconception that the TRG is pro-European. ...

The Thatcherite wing of the party achieved dominance after the election of Margaret Thatcher as party leader in 1975. The Thatcherite political agenda is mainly concerned with reducing the role of the government in the economy, and to this end they support tax cuts, privatisation of public services and a reduction in the size of the welfare state. Though Thatcher herself was socially conservative, her supporters harbour a range of social opinions from the liberal views of Michael Portillo to the traditional conservatism of William Hague and David Davis. Many, but not all, Thatcherites are Eurosceptic, since they view many European regulations as unwelcome interference in the market. Thatcherite europhiles include Leon Brittan and Quentin Davies. Many take inspiration from Thatcher's famous anti-EU Bruges speech in 1988, in which she declared that "we have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them reimposed at a European level". Thatcherites also tend to be atlanticist, dating back to the close friendship between Thatcher and US President Ronald Reagan. The Right Honourable Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) is a British politician and the first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, a position she held from 1979 to 1990. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) is a British politician and a former barrister and chemist. ... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or — especially in India — disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership. ... Rt. ... William Hague The Right Honourable William Jefferson Hague (born March 26, 1961) is a British politician, the Member of Parliament for Richmond, North Yorkshire, former leader of the Conservative Party, and currently Shadow Foreign Secretary. ... David Davis The Right Honourable David Michael Davis (born December 23, 1948) is a British politician, Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden and Shadow Home Secretary. ... Euroscepticism is scepticism about, or disagreement with, the purposes of the European Union, sometimes coupled with a desire to preserve national sovereignty. ... Sir Leon Brittan, Rt. ... John Quentin Davies (born 29 May 1944) is a British politician, and member of Parliament for Grantham and Stamford. ... Atlanticism is a philosophy of cooperation among European and North American nations regarding political, economic, and defense issues. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ...

The so-called Faith, Flag and Family wing are the third main element within the Conservative Party. This faction's name is drawn from its support for three British social institutions: the established Church, the unitary British state and the traditional family. To this end, they emphasise Britain's Protestant heritage, they oppose any transfer of power away from the state (either downwards to the nations and regions or upwards to the European Union), and they are highly critical of homosexuals, single parents and other non-traditional family groupings. They are strongly opposed to immigration into the UK, and some have in the past professed racist opinions. They also are known for their support for capital punishment. Prominent MPs from this wing of the party include Andrew Rosindell and Edward Leigh - himself a prominent Roman Catholic, notable in a faction marked out by its support for the established Church of England, as mentioned above.. It should be noted that this faction has never been particularly strong within the parliamentary party, although its strength within the rank-and-file party membership means that it wields considerable power over Conservative social policy. Gay Conservative MP Alan Duncan famously once referred to this wing as a "Taleban tendency" within the party. Historically, many Conservatives from this faction were members of the Monday Club, and more recently they have participated in the Cornerstone Group. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... A map showing the unitary states. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Andrew Richard Rosindell (born March 17, 1966) is a British Conservative Member of Parliament for Romford, and Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party. ... Edward Julian Egerton Leigh (born 20 July 1950) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Alan James Carter Duncan MP (born March 31, 1957) is a British Conservative politician, and Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton. ... Flag flown by the Taliban. ... The Monday Club is a right-wing pressure-group in Britain described by the BBC as a bastion on the Tory hard right[1]. It was formed at the time of Harold Macmillans Winds of Change speech made at Cape Town, South Africa in which Macmillan stated that the... The Cornerstone Group is a socially conservative or traditionalist grouping within British Conservative Party consisting of Eurosceptic, traditionalist MPs. ...

Note that not all Conservative MPs can be easily placed within these three groupings. For example, John Major was the ostensibly "Thatcherite" candidate during the 1990 leadership election, but he consistently promoted One Nation Conservatives to the higher reaches of his cabinet during his time as Prime Minister. These included Kenneth Clarke (Chancellor of the Exchequer) and Michael Heseltine (Deputy Prime Minister). Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served in the Cabinets of Margaret Thatcher as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer before succeeding Thatcher as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990... The 1990 Conservative Party leadership election in the United Kingdom took place in November 1990 following the decision of former Trade and Industry Secretary Michael Heseltine to stand against the incumbent Conservative leader and Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. ... Kenneth Clarke The Right Honourable Kenneth Harry Clarke, QC, MP, (born 2 July 1940) is a leading Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. ... Michael Heseltine walks out of the cabinet meeting having resigned, January 9, 1986 The Right Honourable Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC (born 21 March 1933), is a British Conservative politician and businessman. ...

Although Europe is no longer seen as a major issue for the Conservatives, many pro-European members have had to moderate their views in the light of growing Euroscepticism. Some grassroots members have called for the expulsion of remaining pro-European MPs.

Associated groups

Further information: List of organisations associated with the British Conservative Party, and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]]

• Bow Group
• Cchange
• Centre for Policy Studies
• Conservative Research Department
• Conservative Way Forward
• Cornerstone Group
• European Foundation
• Tory Reform Group
• Monday Club
• Selsdon Group

This is a list of organisations that are associated with the British Conservative Party. ... The Bow Group is the oldest centre-right think tank in the United Kingdom. ... The Centre for Policy Studies is a United Kingdom-based think tank. ... The Conservative Research Department is an organisation founded by the British Conservative Party to develop party policy and to support the party leadership in promoting their policies and opposing those of rival parties. ... Conservative Way Forward is a group within the British Conservative Party. ... The Cornerstone Group is a socially conservative or traditionalist grouping within British Conservative Party consisting of Eurosceptic, traditionalist MPs. ... The European Foundation is a leading Eurosceptic think tank based in the United Kingdom. ... The Tory Reform Group (TRG) is a group within the United Kingdoms Conservative Party, that uphold the One Nation Tory vision, which they describe as being the promotion of: Social justice Political progress Prosperity for all It is a common misconception that the TRG is pro-European. ... The Monday Club is a right-wing pressure-group in Britain described by the BBC as a bastion on the Tory hard right[1]. It was formed at the time of Harold Macmillans Winds of Change speech made at Cape Town, South Africa in which Macmillan stated that the... The ...

See also

• List of Conservative Party politicians
• Leaders of the Conservative Party
• Chairman of the Conservative Party
• Conservative Central Office
• Conservative Research Department
• British politics
• Thatcherism
• Euroscepticism
• UK topics
• Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (UK) (current Conservative front bench)
• Scottish Unionist Party (1912-1965)

List of Conservative Party politicians This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... Leaders of the Conservative Party since 1834. ... In the United Kingdom, the Chairman of the Conservative Party is responsible for running the party machine, overseeing Conservative Central Office. ... Conservative Central Office (CCO) is the headquarters of the British Conservative Party, housing its central staff and committee members. ... The Conservative Research Department is an organisation founded by the British Conservative Party to develop party policy and to support the party leadership in promoting their policies and opposing those of rival parties. ... The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... Thatcherism is the system of misguided political thought attributed to the governments of Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990. ... Euroscepticism is scepticism about, or disagreement with, the purposes of the European Union, sometimes coupled with a wish to preserve national sovereignty. ... This is a list of topics related to the United Kingdom. ... The Official Loyal Opposition Shadow Cabinet (normally referred to simply as The Shadow Cabinet) is, in British parliamentary practice, a group of members from Her Majestys Loyal Opposition whose job it is to scrutinise their opposite numbers in government and come up with alternative policies. ... The Scottish Unionist Party is a name of two organisations, one now subsumed into the UK Conservative Party, and the other being a recent creation in response to the Conservative Partys support of the Anglo-Irish Agreement. ...

Further reading

• Geoffrey Wheatcroft (2005), The Strange Death of Tory England

External links

Official Party sites

• The Conservative Party
• The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party
• Welsh Conservatives
• Conservatives in Northern Ireland
• Conservative Future - party youth wing

Internal party policy groups

• The Bow Group
• Conservative Way Forward
• The Tory Reform Group

Other

• An archive of Conservative electoral manifestos from 1900-present and a directory of Conservative Party websites, including constituency associations
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Special Report: Conservative Party
• LookSmart - Conservative Party directory category
• The Spectator Often called the Conservative Party "house journal", although not officially affiliated to the party
• Open Directory Project - Conservative Party directory category
• Yahoo! - Conservative Party directory category
• Geoffrey Wheatcroft, The Guardian , June 21, 2005, "I said the Tories were dead. It was an understatement: Since the election the party has made every available mistake"
• David Stewart - British Conservative An interesting look at the Conservative party, a good place to get both lighthearted and serious political talk.