Parliamentary Conservative Party Research Articles

A Crisis of Legitimacy: The Conservative Party Leadership of John Major

This article evaluates the insecurity of tenure that John Major suffered as leader of the Conservative party. It offers a chronological narrative that demonstrates that for the duration of his tenure as leader of the Conservative party, Major lacked the necessary authority within the parliamentary Conservative party to ensure his legitimacy as Conservative party leader. A range of explanatory themes are explored such as the circumstances through which he acquired the leadership; the betrayal thesis of the Thatcherites and the absence of a cohesive and enduring group of Majorities; and the lack of credible unifying alternatives. The article concludes that Major was the default leader of the Conservative party.

Weak and Ineffective? Reassessing the Party Political Leadership of John Major

Interpretations on the party political leadership of John Major are dominated by perceptions of weakness and ineffectiveness. This article examines his party political leadership by considering the relationship between, first, his political ambitions, and, second, his style of political leadership. When evaluating the political ambitions of Major, the article will demonstrate that he was ideologically agnostic and a political pragmatist. When examining his party political leadership style, the article will demonstrate, via an examination of his management of the European policy divide and his Cabinet management, that he was politically indecisive and an avoider of political confrontation. The article concludes, however, that perceptions of his weakness and ineffectiveness should be contextualised due to the following two factors: first, the constraints of inheriting an ideologically divided parliamentary Conservative party; and, second, the contrasting circumstances that ensured that his predecessor and successor appeared strong and effective, which have magnified perceptions of his weakness and ineffectiveness.

Ideology and Ministerial Allocation in the Major Government 1992–1997

This article evaluates the allocation of ministerial portfolios according to ideological disposition within the Major government of 1992–1997. By examining the ideological attitudes of Conservative parliamentarians towards three ideological variables – economic policy, European policy and social, sexual and moral policy – it will analyse the ideological balance of the government vis-à-vis the Parliamentary Conservative Party (PCP); the ideological disposition of those departing and entering government; and the ideological profile of the ministers appointed to the ‘key’ ministerial positions. The article will demonstrate the following: first, the Thatcherite ‘right’ were underrepresented at ministerial level, whilst the Tory ‘left’ secured a level of ministerial representation disproportionate to their numerical strength within the PCP; second, this was despite the fact that the process of ministerial appointments and departures gradually enhanced the representation of the Thatcherite ‘right’ of the PCP at the expense of the Tory ‘left’; and finally, the ‘perception’ amongst the Thatcherite ‘right’ was that they were being marginalised in terms of the key ministries of state.

The Ideological Composition of the Parliamentary Conservative Party 1992–97

With the emphasis on loyalty and unity and an aversion to ideological disputation the Parliamentary Conservative Party (PCP) has traditionally been described as a party of tendencies, rather than factions. The Cowley and Norton study of the ideological and factional basis of rebellion argues that the 1992–97 PCP adhered to the party of tendencies definition. However, through the development of a new three-dimensional, eight-fold typology of Conservatism, that involves behavioural and attitudinal mapping, it can be demonstrated that between 1992 and 1997 the PCP did display evidence of factionalism.

Sperm and scrambled eggs

Sperm and scrambled eggs

The Conservative Parliamentary Elite 1964-1994: The End of Social Convergence?

The convergence of a widening social base in the Parliamentary Conservative Party with an increasingly middle class Parliamentary Labour Party has been a persistent observation of postwar élite studies. Claims are frequently made that the Thatcher and Major years have produced a more `classless' Conservative élite. On the basis of new research, it is demonstrated that members of the socio-educational élite continue to enjoy vastly disproportionate access to Conservative parliamentary seats; that they enjoy even more disproportionate access to safe seats; and that they continue to enjoy still more disproportionate access to office in Conservative governments. Furthermore, in the last decade long-term trends to social convergence have gone into reverse.

CHOOSING A LEADER: MARGARET THATCHER AND THE PARLIAMENTARY CONSERVATIVE PARTY 1989–1990

Journal Article CHOOSING A LEADER: MARGARET THATCHER AND THE PARLIAMENTARY CONSERVATIVE PARTY 1989–1990 Get access Philip Norton Philip Norton Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Parliamentary Affairs, Volume 43, Issue 3, July 1990, Pages 249–259, https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.pa.a052251 Published: 01 July 1990

Conservative Dissidents: Dissent Within the Parliamentary Conservative Party, 1970–74. By Philip Norton. (London: Temple Smith, 1978. Pp. 331. £10.)

Conservative Dissidents: Dissent Within the Parliamentary Conservative Party, 1970–74. By Philip Norton. (London: Temple Smith, 1978. Pp. 331. £10.)

BOOK REVIEWS

BOOK REVIEWS

Conservative Dissidents: Dissent within the Parliamentary Conservative Party 1970-74, by Philip Norton

Conservative Dissidents: Dissent within the Parliamentary Conservative Party 1970-74, <i>by Philip Norton</i>