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They became the Conservatives following Robert Peel’s 1834 Tamworth Manifesto favouring caution; pragmatism; defence of tradition and order; and a minimalist approach to change.
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In the 1872 Crystal Palace speech Disraeli outlined One Nation Conservatism as favouring defence of traditional institutions, the Empire and social reform to ‘elevate the condition of the people’.
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After a short period, however, Heath abandoned the 1970 manifesto in the face of bitter opposition from the trade unions. This historic U-turn was seen by some as weakness.
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In January 1970, Heath held a ‘brainstorming session’ of the shadow cabinet at The Selsdon Park Hotel near Croydon. The aim of the meeting was to formulate policies for the 1970 manifesto. The result was a radical free market agenda (Harold Wilson condemned it as the work of "Selsdon Man“).
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Won with a majority of 43
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Thatcher secured a 144 seat majority
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Thatcher continued to advocate what became known as Thatcherism. She begun a more extensive programme of privatisation and deregulation of the economy.
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In 1987 she won the General election with a majority of 102.
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The Thatcher government introduced the Community Charge (Poll Tax), whose unpopularity over the next two years was crucial in her downfall.
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Following Heseltine’s leadership challenge in November 1990, Mrs Thatcher resigned as both PM and party leader on November 22nd.
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He won the 1992 election with a majority of 21.
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His premiership is marked by: Conservative infighting over Europe after the 1992 Maastricht treaty; economic problems such as Black Wednesday; sleaze.
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In June 1995 Major resigned as party leader and put himself up for re-election, inviting his opponents from within the party to ‘put up or shut up’.
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Major won
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In 1997 the Conservatives lost the election, winning only 165 seats and 30.7% of the vote. This was the party’s worst defeat since 1906.
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Between 1997 & 2001 William Hague lead the party to winning one more seat (166) in the 2001 election.
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2001-2003 Iain Duncan Smith was elected leader. His poor leadership saw the party remove him without his contesting an election.
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2003-2005 Michael Howard acted as ‘caretaker’ leader. In the 2005 election they won 198 seats.
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David Cameron unexpectedly defeated David Davis to become Conservative party leader.
He advocated modernisation of the party’s image and repeatedly referred to his ‘compassionate conservatism’. -
Led the party to win GE. They won 306 seats(short of majority)had to form a coalition with LibDems. Failure to defeat a weak Labour was a blow. His govt intervened in the Libyan War and authorised the bombing of Iraq; govt saw the referendum on voting reform & Scottish independence ref. Cons got majority 2015 GE remained as PM, Cons only govt with a small majority. Concerning rise of UKIP and Euroscepticism in Cons Cam decided to include BREXIT pledge on the UK's continuing membership of the EU.
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Cameron led the coalition as it introduced austerity. His administration also introduced large-scale changes to welfare, immigration policy, education, and healthcare. It privatised the Royal Mail and some other state assets, and legalised same-sex marriage.
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Boris Johnson won the leadership contest prompted by Theresa May’s resignation as Conservative party leader. He won almost twice as many votes as his opponent Jeremy Hunt in the ballot.
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