Difference between revisions of "Conservative Party (UK)"
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==Conservative party in the USA== | ==Conservative party in the USA== | ||
Also a party in New York State (USA) formed during the early 1960's in response to the liberal leanings of the state Republican Party (which was dominated by then Governor Nelson Rockefeller). The Conservative Party of New York State remains an influential third party in that very liberal state. Though it keeps its independence from the state Republican Party, it cross endorses the Republican Party for President consistantly. In state elections, ever since Nelson Rockefeller left the Governorship, it also has been cross-endorseing Republican candidates for governor (but not always without interparty strife with the Republicans and intra-party strife within the Conservative Party). [http://www.cpnys.org/] | Also a party in New York State (USA) formed during the early 1960's in response to the liberal leanings of the state Republican Party (which was dominated by then Governor Nelson Rockefeller). The Conservative Party of New York State remains an influential third party in that very liberal state. Though it keeps its independence from the state Republican Party, it cross endorses the Republican Party for President consistantly. In state elections, ever since Nelson Rockefeller left the Governorship, it also has been cross-endorseing Republican candidates for governor (but not always without interparty strife with the Republicans and intra-party strife within the Conservative Party). [http://www.cpnys.org/] | ||
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| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[British politics]] | ||
| + | * [[David Cameron]] | ||
| + | * [[Margaret Thatcher]] | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 19:42, May 6, 2007
The British Conservative Party, commonly nicknamed the Tory Party after their political ancestors, is the major right wing party of the United Kingdom. Its leader is David Cameron.
The modern British Conservative Party ran the United Kingdom for nearly 20 years, beginning with Margaret Thatcher's victory for the Party in 1979. She came into office facing a British economy that had been crippled by decades of liberal policies and militant trade unions. Thatcher turned that around, broke the iron grip of the trade unions, and restored the British economy to a free enterprise system that has thrived to this day. She was succeeded by John Major in 1990, and, to the surprise of the media, Major won the general election in 1992 and extended the Conservative Party's power until 1997.
By 1997 the Labour Party had finally embraced the more conservative direction for the country and abandoned many of it's socialist economic policies of the past. Economic difficulties, including a dispute over whether England should join the currency of the European Union, hurt the Conservative Party further. This was coupled with a perception that the party had become corrupt, with a number of high-profile members of the party being involved in financial and sexual scandals. The Labour Party won in a landslide in 1997 and has held power ever since.
Since the early 2000s, the Conservative Party leaders have softened its conservative stance on social issues and this has increased its popularity with the voters. Particularly since David Cameron - a self-declared "liberal conservative" - became leader of the Conservative party, their support in the country has risen dramatically. See the full text of his speech at the September 2006 Conservative Party conference [1] and recent polls. [2] [3] However, despite this apparent change in direction, careful examination of David Cameron's policies, attitudes and his shadow Cabinet colleagues reveal that he is as right-wing and Conservative as John Major or Margaret Thatcher. This is further backed up by what we know about his life pre-1997, when the country was shown that outward liberalism (but with centre-right policies and attitudes) could win a general election, is that he followed a very stingent neo-conservative line: He was in favour in high taxation, more restrictions on homosexuality, less women in the workplace, Christianity for all and messing the country up so bad that its economy suffers the worst blow to it since the Wall Street Crash. David Cameron's example highlights how the Conservative Party should not be trusted, despite its apparent change in heart and that New Labour is far too dangerously straying towards the conservative viewpoint. Hopefully Gordon Brown should correct this and go back to the best form of political ideology; Clement Atlee's Socialism.
Conservative party in the USA
Also a party in New York State (USA) formed during the early 1960's in response to the liberal leanings of the state Republican Party (which was dominated by then Governor Nelson Rockefeller). The Conservative Party of New York State remains an influential third party in that very liberal state. Though it keeps its independence from the state Republican Party, it cross endorses the Republican Party for President consistantly. In state elections, ever since Nelson Rockefeller left the Governorship, it also has been cross-endorseing Republican candidates for governor (but not always without interparty strife with the Republicans and intra-party strife within the Conservative Party). [1]
