Freedom Association

The Freedom Association, originally known as the National Association for Freedom, is a right-wing pressure group which was set up in the 1970s by a group of businessmen, aristocrats, military figures, journalists and politicians on the far right. In its early years it played a prominent role in disrupting campaigns for workers rights and racial equality led by trades unions and anti-apartheid campaigners. Its influence diminished somewhat after its far right agenda was taken up by the Thatcher government, but it remains a well known fringe group within the Conservative Party.
==Origins and History==
The Freedom Association was founded as the National Association for Freedom on 31 July 1975 by William Sidney, (also known as Viscount De L'Isle), and Norris McWhirter, who with his brother Ross McWhirter, had founded the Guinness Book of Records. The Freedom Association, About TFA, (accessed 22 April 2009); Adam Bernstein, 'Norris McWhirter Dies; 'Guinness Book' Co-Founder, Washington Post, 21 April 2004 In 2003, Norris McWhirter, recalled how the group originated from a chance meeting with Viscount De L'Isle on a plane from London to New York:
The two had a detailed discussion about the seriousness of Britain’s decline since the death of Winston Churchill. Lord de L’Isle had just received a letter from Michael Ivens [the director of the anti-union pressure group Aims of Industry], asking him to consider leading a new association pledged to support individual freedom and to resist ever Bigger Government. As a result of the long flight, Ross and Norris McWhirter were invited to Lord de L’Isle’s home at Penshurst Place in Kent for a further discussion. It was on the hottest day of the year, Thursday 12 June 1975. At a light lunch on a small round table that Lord de L’Isle had acquired at an auction at Chartwell, home of Sir Winston Churchill, plans were hatched to convene a meeting of fifty prominent people from politics, business, the armed services, the church and the professions at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Thursday 31 July.These were the original council members of what was then called the National Association for Freedom. They included figures as varied as Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer, the constitutional expert Lord Blake and the cricketer Alec Bedser. Norris McWhirter, ‘’, 2003. Accessed from <http://freedomassociation.typepad.com/the_freedom_association/files/his01.PDF> on 22 October 2009
The group's other founding members included a number of radical right-wingers from journalism, academia and the Conservative Party. Michael Ivens was a founder member, as was Brian Crozier of the Institute for the Study of Conflict and his close associate Robert Moss, Philip Jordan, 'McWhirter 'freedom' memorial', Guardian, 3 December 1975 who was appointed director of the Association. 'National Association for Freedom; Into its stride', The Economist, 28 August 1976 Other founding members included John Braine, Professor D.R. Deman (professor of Land Economy at Cambridge), Sir John Foster, Jill Knight, David Mitchell, Nicholas Ridley Sir Frank Taylor, (managing director of Taylor Woodrow), Kenneth Watkins of Sheffield University and Peregrine Worsthorne. Philip Jordan, 'McWhirter 'freedom' memorial', Guardian, 3 December 1975
thumb|500px|right|Companies House document showing the names of the National Association for Freedom's original subscribers when it was officially incorporated on 18 March 1977 (Click on the doc to see a higher definition).
Ross McWhirter was murdered by the IRA shortly before the planned launched which took place on 2 December 1975, with Norris McWhirter under protection by armed police.
Philip Jordan, 'McWhirter 'freedom' memorial', Guardian, 3 December 1975 Recalling the killing years later John Gouriet, another key member of the group, told the BBC: 'It was almost certainly a KGB crime because there were definite links between the IRA and the Soviet Union and I remain convinced today that that is what actually happened.' Tory! Tory! Tory! - The Path to Power, broadcast Friday, 10 August from 2340 BST on BBC Four. 
It absorbed a small pressure group the Middle Class Association, 'National Association for Freedom; Into its stride', The Economist, 28 August 1976 which was led by the Conservative MP John Gorst.
When The Economist reported on the Association's progress in 1976 it stated that it was directed by Robert Moss and chaired by Viscount De L'Isle. Its governing council was said to include Norris McWhirter, and seven Conservative MPs including Winston Churchill, Jill Knight and Nicholas Ridley. At that time it had a full-time staff of ten at its London headquarters located 'near Shaftesbury Avenue'. 'National Association for Freedom; Into its stride', The Economist, 28 August 1976 John Gouriet was reportedly administrative director of the group. Martin Walker and Peter Chippindale, 'Thatcher guest of NAFF', Guardian, 6 January 1977; p.20 
It was incorporated as a limited company on 18 March 1977.
==Activities==
The Freedom Association sponsored legal actions to promote their right-wing agenda. They also published a fortnightly paper called The Free Nation. In 1976 The Economist reported that it was written 'using unpaid contributors who are often professional journalists -- of which 30,000 copies are printed at a non-union printing press "somewhere in the west of England". Half of the print order is, the NAF claims, sold at 15p a copy, mainly in the home counties and in the Manchester area, the remainder is distributed free.' 'National Association for Freedom; Into its stride', The Economist, 28 August 1976
Brian Crozier revealed in his memoir that founding members of the Freedom Association met with Margaret Thatcher on 9 March 1976. The meeting took place at Viscount De L'Isle's house in London's Eaton Square, and was attended by Brian Crozier, Norris McWhirter, John Gouriet and Robert Moss. Brian Crozier, 'A secret shield for the Lady', The Times, 28 June 1993 Brian Crozier recalls that:
Mrs Thatcher was listening and writing because I was telling her things nobody had yet mentioned to her, about Soviet subversion in the United Kingdom and worldwide, about the penetration of our trades unions and of the Labour Party, still in power at that time. Brian Crozier, 'A secret shield for the Lady', The Times, 28 June 1993
According to the Guardian:
Naff's crowning glory was the battle over Grunwick, a photo processing lab in north London where an industrial dispute over union representation blew up into a cause célèbre in 1976. The dispute saw mass picketing, including Arthur Scargill's miners, and court actions by the company, which were financed by Naff. The organisation was widely credited with winning a small business victory against trade union might, and the affair prepared the ground for the Conservatives' anti-union legislation of the 1980s.Roger Cowe, Michael Ivens: Champion of the libertarian right and business freedom, Guardian, 21 November 2001
==The Freedom Zone==
The Freedom Zone was a conference arranged by the Freedom Association in Manchester, UK, on 5 and 6 October 2009. In charge of running the event was Jane Broadhurst, the Freedom Association's office manager.Meet the Freedom Zone team, Freedom Association website, accessed 5 Oct 2009
Speakers included Chris Grayling, Lord David Trimble, Daniel Hannan, Roger Helmer, Syed Kamall, John Redwood, Peter Lilley, Tim Montgomerie, "Guido Fawkes" (a pseudonym of the libertarian blogger Paul Staines)Home page, Guido Fawkes blog, accessed 5 Oct 2009, Colonel Bob Stewart, Gerald Howarth, Alex Deane, Douglas Murray, John O'Sullivan, Matthew Elliott, Ruth Lea, Robert Halfon, Simon Clark, Brian Monteith, Shane Frith, John Strafford, Graeme Leach, James Manzi, Iain Murray, Matthew Sinclair, John Whittingdale, Mark Wallace, Bruce Anderson, David Aaronovitch, John Rentoul, Jesse Norman, Don Porter and Chris Galley.Meet the Freedom Zone team, Freedom Association website, accessed 5 Oct 2009
==Principals==
*Honorary Chairman (from 2011 - ): Professor Tim Congdon, who was defeated in 2010 for the UKIP leadership | Former chairman (from April 2007- January 2011): Roger Helmer MEP. Stepped down on 'doctor's orders'. Remains on the TFA Council. Jonathan Isaby, Roger Helmer steps down as Honorary Chairman of the Freedom Association, TFA website, accessed 2 May 2011 | Caroline Cox | Michael Ivens
===2011 Staff===
*Simon Richards - Director
*Jane Broadhurst -Office Manager
*Christiana Hambro - Development Manager
*Hasan Afzal - Research Intern
*Stephen Hoffman - Parliamentary Intern
===Council circa 2011===
Hon. Chairman: Professor Timothy Congdon CBE | Hon. President: Christopher Gill | Hon. Vice-President: Vladimir Bukovsky | Hon. Chaplain: The Revd Dr. Peter Mullen | Hon. Secretary: Tony Hilder | Hon. Treasurer: Michael McGough FCA | Jillian Becker | Edwin Boorman | The Rt. Hon. Sir Rhodes Boyson PC | Christopher Chope OBE, MP] | The Baroness Cox of Queensbury | Philip Davies MP | The Lady Fieldhouse | Sir Ranulph Fiennes Bt, OBE, PM | Mike Fisher | Teresa Gorman | Robert Halfon MP | Daniel Hannan MEP | Dr. Charles Hanson | Roger Helmer MEP | Adrian Hilton | Philip Hollobone MP | Gerald Howarth MP | Lindsay Jenkins | John Kershaw | Justin Kornberg | Barry Legg | Russell Lewis | Eric Lomax | Laura Midgley | Professor Patrick Minford CBE, PhD | The Viscount Monckton of Brenchley | Brian Monteith | The Lord Pearson of Rannoch | Margaret Purves GC | Andrew Roberts | Andrew Rosindell MP | Colin Smith | Ewen Stewart | The Lord Stoddart of Swindon | Walter Sweeney | The Lord Vinson of Roddam LVO, DL | The Earl of Wemyss and March DL | Stuart Wheeler | John Whittingdale OBE, MP | Councillor Tony WoodcockThe Freedom Association Council and Supporters, Accessed 12 November 2011
===Former Staff===
*Mark Wallace - Campaigns Manager (Sept 2005 - Nov 2007). Left to become Campaign Director of the Taxpayers' Alliance (November 2007 – July 2010). He currently works as a senior account manager for Portland PR Portland PR, People, accessed 27 April 2011 and 'writes the very popular 'Crash, Bang, Wallace' blog'. The Freedom Association, Meet the Team, accessed 27 April 2011 
==='Members'===
*Alex Deane - Bell Pottinger Alex Deane, Alex Deane, Bell Pottinger : A Golden Age For Think-Tanks, PR Week, 08 June 2011, accessed 15 June 2011 
===Circa 1994===
*Founding President: Viscount De L'Isle
*Vice-Presidents: Vladimir Bukovsky | Michael Ivens | Professor R V Jones
*Chairman: Norris McWhirter
*Hon Treasurer: Nigel Axelrad
*Management Committee: Baroness Cox | Mike Fisher | Tony Hilder | Rex Middleton | Graham Riddick MP | Tony Woodcock
*Council Members: Vice-Admiral Sir Louis Le Bailly | John Bercow | Lord Blake | Sir Peter Blaker | Jillian Becker | Edwin Boorman | Diana Bowen | Rhodes Boyson | Dr J H Briggs | Robert Chambers | Christopher Chope | Winston Churchill | Prof. D R Denman | Ranulph Fiennes | Anthony Flew | Michael Forsyth MP |Roger Foster |Freedom Today, the Journal of the Freedom Association, April 1994, Vol. 19, Issue 2, p. 23
==Affiliations==
*Hampden Trust - The FA hosts a few pages on its website for this charity run by FA trustees including David Marsland and Roger Helmer.The Freedom Association, About the Hampden Trust, accessed 18 November 2010
==Contact, Resources, Notes==
===Contact===
Website: www.tfa.net
===Resources===
*
*Neill Nugent 'The National Association for Freedom' in Roger King and Neill Nugent (eds.), Respectable Rebels: Middle Class Campaigns in Britain in the 1970s (Hodder and Stoughton, 1979), pp. 76-100.
===Notes===
Category:Think Tanks