Conservative Party (UK)

The **Conservative party** (often known as the **Tories**) is a British political party. It is on the centre-right of the political spectrum.

## History

### Origins

The Conservative Party is Britain's oldest political party. The Conservative Party emerged from the Tory Party. It began with the Tamworth Manifesto, which was written by the then-prime minister Robert Peel in 1834 to gain support from MPs. It was during this period that the Tory Party began to be known as the Conservative Party.

### 1840-1849

Peel served as prime minister again between 1841 and 1846, when he resigned.

### 1850-1859

Lord Derby first became prime minister in 1852. The Earl of Aberdeen then became prime minister between 1852 and 1855. The Conservatives lost the 1857 General Election. Derby became prime minister again between 1858 and 1859. After the 1859 General Election, the Conservatives had the most seats and were able to form a government, but they did not have a majority.

### 1860-1869

Derby became prime minister again in 1866. After the Earl of Derby resigned, Benjamin Disraeli became prime minister in 1868. The Conservatives lost the 1868 General Election.

### 1870-1879

Disraeli became prime minister again in 1874.

### 1880-1889

The Conservatives lost the 1880 General Election, but Disraeli continued to lead the party unitl his death in 1881. After Disraeli's death, Lord Salisbury took over as leader of the Conservatives.  Salisbury became prime minister in 1885 after the Conservatives won the most seats in the 1885 General Election. In the 1886 General Election, the Conservatives gained a majority in parliament.

### 1890-1899

Although the Conservatives won the most seats in the 1892 General Election, no party had an overall majority and the Liberals formed a miniority government with the support of Irish Nationalist MPs.
Salisbury became prime minister for a third time in 1895.

### 1900-1909

Lord Salisbury resigned as prime minister in 1902. Arthur James Balfour took over as prime minister between 1902 and 1905. Balfour resigned as prime minister in 1905.

### 1910-1919

The Conservatives did not gain a majority in either the January 1910 General Election or the December 1910 General Election. In both cases, they won almost as many seats as the Liberal Party. Balfour stepped down as party leader and Andrew Bonar Law became the leader of the Conservatives in 1911.
The Conservatives won the 1918 General Election However, Law allowed David Lloyd George to continue being prime minister.

### 1920-1929

In 1922, Law became the prime minister. After Law's resignation due to ill health in 1923, Stanley Baldwin became leader of the Conservatives and prime minister. After losing its majority in the 1923 General Election, the Conservatives lost power, until the 1924 General Election, which the Conservatives won. The Conservatives lost the 1929 General Election and the Conservative Party tried unsuccessfully to force Baldwin to resign.

### 1930-1939

As part of the National Government coalition, the Conservatives won the most seats in the 1931 General Election. Following four years of Ramsay MacDonald being the prime minister, Balwin became prime minister again in 1935 and won the 1935 General Election. He retired as party leader and prime minister in 1937 and Neville Chamberlain took over as Conservative party leader and prime minister.

### 1940-1949

In 1940, Chamberlain resigned as the Conservative Party leader and prime minister after being unable to liberate Norway from the Axis Powers. Winston Churchill took over as the Conservative party leader and the prime minister, leading the World War II National Coalition. The Conservatives lost the 1945 General Election.

### 1950-1959

The Conservatives lost the 1950 General Election, but they won the 1951 General Election, resulting in Churchill becoming prime minister again. Churchill resigned as prime minister in 1955 due to ill health, and Anthony Eden became the leader of the Conservatives and the prime minister. Eden called the 1955 General Election and the Conservatives won. In 1957, Eden resigned as prime minister and Conservative Party leader over the Suez Crisis. Harold Macmillan became the leader of the Conservatives and the prime minister. The Conservatives won the 1959 General Election.

### 1960-1969

In 1963, Macmillan stepped down as prime minister and Conservative Party as a result of the Profumo Affair. Alec Douglas-Home took over as party leader. The Conservatives lost the 1964 General Election. Douglas-Home resigned as Conservative Party leader in 1965, and Edward Heath won the leadership contest. In the 1966 General Election, the Conservatives lost many seats to Labour.

### 1970-1979

The Conservatives won the 1970 General Election and Heath became prime minister. The Conservatives lost both the February 1974 General Election and the October 1974 General Election. In 1975, Heath stood for a leadership election to try and strenghen his position in the party. Heath unexpectedly lost the election and Margaret Thatcher became the leader of the Conservatives. The Conservatives won the 1979 General Election, resulting in Thatcher becoming Britain's first woman prime minister.

### 1980-1989

Under Thatcher's leadership, the Conservatives won both the 1983 General Election and the 1987 General Election.

### 1990-1999

In November 1990, Thatcher resigned as the party leader and as prime minister. John Major became the prime minister and the leader of the Conservatives. The Conservatives won the 1992 General Election. However, the Conservatives lost the 1997 General Election. This was the first General Election defeat for the Conservatives in 18 years. Major subsequently resigned as leader and William Hague became the new leader of the Conservatives.

### 2000-2009

The Conservatives lost the 2001 General Election. In 2001, after the election defeat, Hague stepped down  and Iain Duncan Smith was elected to be the party leader. Duncan Smith lost a vote of no confidence in 2003 and resigned as leader of the Conservative. Michael Howard became the Conservative Party leader after standing unopposed in the leadership election. The Conservatives lost the 2005 General Election. Howard resigned as the party leader.  In 2005, the Party elected David Cameron as its leader.

### 2010-present

After the 2010 General Election, the Conservative Party held the most seats in the House of Commons, but they did not have a majority. The Conservatives agreed to form a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats. In the 2015 General Election, the Conservative Party gained a small majority. On 23 June 2016, the referendum on Britain's membership in the European Union was held. The results in favour of leaving the European Union. On 24 June 2016, Cameron resigned as prime minister and leader of the Conservatives.  Theresa May took over as leader of the Conservatives and as prime minister. In 2017, May called the 2017 General Election. The Conservative Party lost their majority, but were the largest party in the House of Commons. The Conservatives formed a minority government after making a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party. In December 2018, the Conservative Party had a vote of no confidence in May as leader of the party. May survived the vote. On 16 January 2019, the EU withdrawal bill was defeated with the biggest ever government defeat in the history of the House of Commons.  The day after, the Labour Party forced a vote of no confidence motion for the current government. The Conservative government survived the vote. On 20 February 2019, three Conservative MPs left the Conservative Party and joined the Independent Group. The MPs were Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston. In July 2019, May stepped down as the party leader and Boris Johnson took over after winning the leadership election. In August 2019, the Conservative Party removed the whip from 21 MPs after they rebelled against the party whip in a vote to block a no-deal Brexit.

The Conservative Party currently has 288 seats in the House of Commons  and 234 peers in the House of Lords.

## Ideology

The Conservatives tend to favour low taxation and government spending, as well as social conservatism, for instance, incentivising marriage. They are generally in favour of restriction on immigration.

## Party organisation and structure

The party is divided into regions. Policies relating to the party are created by the party board. Officers from the regions and other devisions of the Conservative Party, such as Conservative Women and Young Conservatives meet at the National Convention, which is held twice a year. In parliament, the 1922 Committee is composed of backbench MPs (MPs who are not in the cabinet or shadow cabinet). The purpose of the 1922 Committee is to inform the party's leadership about the thoughts and opinions of the backbench MPs.

## Reference

1. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8649185.stm
2. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=SFYBAwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=conservatives+robert+peel&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5mJKX6djgAhVkQRUIHfTmB0YQuwUIKzAA#v=onepage&q=conservative%20party&f=false
3. ↑ https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/lifestyle/tamworth-britains-first-ever-manifesto-3934732
4. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30899534
5. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/robert-peel-2nd-baronet
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 https://history.blog.gov.uk/2016/06/01/lord-derby/
7. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/george-hamilton-gordon-earl-of-aberdeen
8. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OE1dDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA62&dq=1852+General+Election&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-m4rQtejgAhViVBUIHWXWAd4QuwUIRDAF#v=onepage&q=1852%20General%20Election&f=false
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/benjamin-disraeli-the-earl-of-beaconsfield
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/robert-gascoyne-cecil
11. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=PtewCwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=1885+election+results&ots=Hy1766Nfsm&sig=luQ4rLXaFaXyI5HLgTaywSuGy-M&redir\_esc=y#v=onepage&q=1885%20election%20results&f=false
12. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fASYFMKoTRIC&pg=PA192&dq=1886+general+election&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwin1ZXD6-fgAhVzTBUIHYU0AcIQuwUIPjAE#v=onepage&q=1886%20general%20election&f=false
13. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0NrVJb1rWq0C&pg=PA259&lpg=PA259&dq=1892+general+election+salisbury#v=onepage&q=1892%20general%20election%20salisbury&f=false
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/arthur-james-balfour
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n4ZBDgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=january+1910+general+election&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDqO3mqN3gAhWu1uAKHeTNATkQuwUIYjAJ#v=onepage&q=january%201910%20general%20election&f=false
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/andrew-bonar-law
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/RP08-12/RP08-12.pdf
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/stanley-baldwin
19. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Ch22p6goYYkC&pg=PA35&dq=january+1910+general+election&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDqO3mqN3gAhWu1uAKHeTNATkQuwUIOTAC#v=onepage&q=january%201910%20general%20election&f=false
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/neville-chamberlain
21. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/winston-churchill
22. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PNDFBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT67&dq=1945+General+Election&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjDwefKztvgAhXPTRUIHVApBH4QuwUIQDAE#v=onepage&q=1945%20General%20Election&f=false
23. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=hc92DQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=1951+general+election&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjb-cC\_h9vgAhVTRBUIHd0nCiUQuwUINTAC#v=onepage&q=1951&f=false
24. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=AdC84h2y3OsC&printsec=frontcover&dq=anthony+eden&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZi5n9iNvgAhWBQRUIHRhHAeIQuwUINjAC#v=onepage&q=1955&f=false
25. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0Nhq1g1WYmEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=1955+general+election&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwio5Z3IodvgAhXcVBUIHUsIAXs4FBC7BQhWMAg#v=onepage&q=1955%20general%20election&f=false
26. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k-J8DAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=anthony+eden+suez+crisis&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjY\_bHdp9vgAhXRRhUIHXhcB8kQuwUIKzAA#v=onepage&q=resigned&f=false
27. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oGLGF9g\_IIEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=harold+macmillan&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiPt-bXttvgAhX0rnEKHcYxABEQ6AEILTAB#v=onepage&q=1957&f=false
28. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/background/pastelec/ge59.shtml
29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oGLGF9g\_IIEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=harold+macmillan&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwidq8imtNrgAhVJXRUIHf8tCVsQuwUIKzAA#v=onepage&q=profumo&f=false
30. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/background/pastelec/ge64.shtml
31. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/27/newsid\_2956000/2956082.stm
32. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/31/newsid\_4693000/4693142.stm
33. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/edward-heath
34. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=N-qzCwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=February+1974+general+election&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBv8-Do9rgAhW3TBUIHcnvCTw4FBC7BQhIMAY#v=onepage&q=majority&f=false
35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/tory-leadership-battles-a-history/
36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/margaret-thatcher
37. ↑ https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/m09.pdf
38. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/margaret-thatcher
39. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/22/newsid\_2549000/2549189.stm
40. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/john-major
41. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk\_politics/vote\_2005/basics/4393317.stm
42. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/news/05/0505/stats.shtml
43. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk\_politics/vote\_2005/basics/4393323.stm
44. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3636212/William-Hague-my-Margaret-Thatcher.html
45. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/news/vote2001/
46. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/news/vote2001/hi/english/newsid\_1377000/1377309.stm
47. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk\_politics/1542554.stm
48. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk\_politics/3225127.stm
49. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk\_politics/3245561.stm
50. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk\_politics/vote\_2005/default.stm
51. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/may/06/election2005.uk7
52. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/dec/06/toryleadership2005.conservatives2
53. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/
54. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk\_politics/election\_2010/8675848.stm
55. ↑ https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/elections-and-referendums/past-elections-and-referendums/uk-general-elections/2015-uk-general-election-results
56. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/eu-referendum
57. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/24/david-cameron-resigns-after-uk-votes-to-leave-european-union
58. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/people/theresa-may
59. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/18/theresa-may-uk-general-election-8-june
60. ↑ https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7979
61. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/26/the-conservativedup-deal-what-it-says-and-what-it-means
62. ↑ https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/next-prime-minister-theresa-may-tory-leadership-who-replace-brexit/
63. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46547246
64. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-vote-theresa-may-defeat-mps-history-biggest-ever-loss-commons-a8729791.html
65. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46887852
66. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-no-confidence-vote-result-jeremy-corbyn-election-brexit-deal-conservative-labour-a8731331.html
67. ↑ 67.0 67.1 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47306022
68. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/23/boris-johnson-elected-new-tory-leader-prime-minister
69. ↑ https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-vote-result-boris-johnson-removes-conservative-whip-full-list-mps/
70. ↑ https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-votes-whip-removed-from-21-senior-tories-who-rebelled-against-boris-johnson-to-vote-for-a4228366.html
71. ↑ https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/current-state-of-the-parties/
72. ↑ https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/composition-of-the-lords/
73. ↑ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41293-017-0064-6
74. ↑ https://www.psa.ac.uk/insight-plus/no-immigrants-no-evidence-making-conservative-party-immigration-policy
75. ↑ 75.0 75.1 https://www.conservatives.com/Members/Party-Structure-and-Organisation
76. ↑ 76.0 76.1 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk\_politics/a-z\_of\_parliament/82575.stm