Conservative Party

Leader

David Cameron

Founded

1830

Ideology

Conservatism

Background

The origins of the Conservative Party go back to the Tory faction of 1678-1681; the term 'Conservative' wasn't suggested until 1830 by John Wilson Croker. The Conservatives are the largest political party on the centre-right, and are currently the official opposition to the Labour government. The party is seen as being tough on crime, as Eurosceptic, and as taking a hard line on immigration.

Since 1922, only the Conservative Party and Labour Party have been in government and official opposition, with there being a Conservative Prime Minister for over 50 of those years.

Margaret Thatcher led the party from 1975 to 1990, becoming the first (and only) woman to act as official Leader of the Opposition; becoming Prime Minister in 1979. Although she led the party to two further landslide victories in 1983 and 1987, she was deeply unpopular with some sections of society, partly due to massive unemployment, the introduction of poll tax, and the long-standing dispute that led to the Miners' Strike of 1984-5.

Thatcher was deposed by John Major in 1990, who then went on to win the 1992 election. However, the Conservative Party in the 1990's was involved in a number of scandals, involving sexual indiscretions and political corruption, which severely damaged their reputation. They were soundly defeated in the 1997 General Election, winning only 165 seats, compared with the revamped 'New' Labour Party who won a total of 418.

The Conservatives made a slight recovery in the 2005 election under the leadership of Michael Howard, winning 198 seats.

Contact Details

www.conservatives.com