About Us

 

Structure of the Wellingborough Conservative Association

Executive

The Executive provides strategic direction to the Association. The Executive is composed of Officers of the Association, The management team, three representatives from each branch and up to three co-opted members. The Executive also has representatives from the Conservative Clubs, Conservative Future, Conservative Policy Forum, the County Council Conservative Group, each of the District and Borough Council Conservative Groups and affiliated societies.

Officers

The Officers are responsible for managing the Association. The Officers are the Chairman, Deputy Chairman (Political) and Deputy Chairman (Membership & Fundraising).

Management

The Management Team runs the Association on a day-to-day basis, together with the Officers, according to policy determined by the Executive. Members of the Management Team are elected each year at the Annual General Meeting. The last vote took place on Friday 30th March 2012.

The Management Team is:

Branches

Branches represent Association members in their wards. Each branch elects its own officers.

The Branches are:

  • North (comprises the wards of Isham, Orlingbury, Harrowdens & Hardwick)
  • South (Bozeat)
  • Finedon
  • Great Doddington & Wilby
  • Higham Ferrers
  • Irchester & Wollaston (comprises wards of Grendon, Irchester, Strixton & Wollaston)
  • Rushden (comprises wards of Hayden, Spencer, Bates, Sartoris & Pemberton)
  • Wellingborough (comprises the wards of Castle, Croyland, Queensway & Swanspool, Hemmingwell Redwell East, Redwell West & Brickhill)

Members of Branches make up the controlling political group on:

  • East Northamptonshire District Council
  • Higham Ferrers Town Council
  • Northamptonshire County Council
  • Rushden Town Council
  • Wellingborough Borough Council

Clubs & Groups

There are a number of organisations, groups and clubs within Wellingborough Conservative Association and the Conservative Party.

Centurian Club

A fundraising club for the enjoyment of members.

The Centurian Club was established in March 2002 to mark the new millennium. A draw takes place each month when two £10 prizes are awarded. There is also an annual Grand Draw.
The Grand Draw Prizes are:

  • First Prize: £100
  • Second Prize: £50
  • Third Prize: £25

Annual subscription is £20.00 (does not include membership of the Conservative Party).

Mrs Patricia Raymond
Chairman
Centurian Club
Tel: 01933 674621

Conservative Future (CF)

Please see the Future section of our website.

Conservative Policy Forum (CPF)

Please see the Policy Forum section of our website.

Conservative Women’s Constituency Committee (CWCC)

This is a very active body in the constituency and is part of the national movement.

The CWCC is primarily a fundraising arm of the Association and has a tradition of organising a lot of events throughout the year which are very popular. Political discussion also takes place and comments are passed to the central committee. As part of the activity of the CWCC two luncheons are held each year with a prominent Conservative politician as guest speaker. Our Events page lists the CWCC events. Guests are welcome to attend.

There is no subscription.

Our Events page lists the Conservative Women’s Constituency Committee events.

Mrs Jennie Bone
Chairman
Tel: 01933 271207

Ladies Luncheon Club

The Ladies Luncheon Club meet on a regular basis every third Thursday of each month at the Castle in Wellingborough. There is a guest speaker every other month.

Annual subscription is £1.00 (does not include membership of the Conservative Party).

Our Events page lists the Conservative Women’s Constituency Committee events.

Carol Mann
Chairman
Ladies Luncheon Club
Tel: 01933 271005

Brief History of the Conservative Party

The Conservative & Unionist Party can be traced back to the seventeenth Century when it was known collectively as the ‘Tory Party’. The name (from the Irish ‘brigand’) was thought to be a term used for papist outlaws sympathetic to the royal cause. It came to characterise defenders of the principles of hereditary succession to the Crown and non-resistance to the Monarch. ‘Unionist’ was added in 1912 after the absorption on the Liberal Unionists (formed in 1866 after breaking away from the Liberal Party over the issue of Irish home rule).

After the restoration of King Charles II in 1660, a party system slowly emerged with ‘Whigs’ supporting parliamentary control and ‘Tories’ supporting the prerogatives of the Crown. In 1783 William Pitt the Younger became Tory Prime Minister and led the Government for most of the next twenty-one years. Britain became embroiled in the French Revolution and at this time of national crisis Edmund Burke set out a manifesto of Conservative principles, many of which still hold true today.

By the 1830s the ‘Whigs’ had become known as Liberals. Under Robert Peel a new era of Conservative thinking was introduced. Disagreement ensued, but Benjamin Disraeli won a seat in the House of Commons in 1837 representing Maidstone. The Disraeli Government introduced a number Acts of Parliament between 1875 and 1878 that brought about radical social reform and united the Party.

After World War I, the party provided stability and helped influence the new Labour Party of the need to alter politics and society through parliament and democratic election. The second Labour government collapsed in 1931 and the Conservative Party joined with Labour dissidents, led by former Socialist Ramsay MacDonald, to form a national government to cope with the economic crisis.

Economic recovery gave rise to unprecedented levels of employment and productivity by 1937 when Neville Chamberlain became Prime Minister. In the war against Germany, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister uniting the Conservative Party with the other political parties to bring about Victory for the allies.

In the immediate post war period, Anthony Eden, Harold MacMillan, Rab Butler, Reginald Maudling, Ian MacLeod, Enoch Powell and others in the party brought a restatement of Conservatism. Prosperity and advances in social welfare achieved during the 1950s helped ensure thirteen years of Conservative power from 1951 to 1964.

Disillusionment with the Labour Government enabled Conservatives to regain power in 1970 and Edward Heath proceeded to tackle Britain’s serious economic problems. He took Britain into what was then called the Common Market. Difficulties arose when the Trades Unions resisted the Industrial Relations Act. From 1974, under Labour, strikes became commonplace, inflation rocketed and Britain’s global standing declined.

In 1975, the Party elected Margaret Thatcher as their leader and embarked on a radical reassessment of policy in all areas. Elected to govern in 1979, the Conservatives began to transform Britain, reversing socialist polices and rebuilding Britain’s position in the world. Living standards rose, industry was rejuvenated and enterprise unleashed. John Major became Prime Minister in 1990 and continued the reforms. Conservatives governed for eighteen years until 1997. Following successive leaders the Conservative Party continues in opposition to the Labour Government. This was first led by Tony Blair but in 2007 Gordon Brown took over as Prime Minister.

The modern Conservative Party is an up-to-date, forward-looking 21st Century organisation.

Periodically during its long history as the world’s most successful political machine. the Conservative Party has undergone periods of internal revolution and renewal. The most recent recasting of the party started when we went into Opposition and has now reached its zenith under David Cameron’s leadership.

Today, the Conservative Party is winning the support of most young people and achieving leads of up to 36% in the opinion polls. Its membership exceeds all other British political parties combined. It is full of enthusiastic young people, full of zest, ideas and confidence that the 21st Century will be just as much a Conservative century as the 20th was.

Created: Sean Lever

Modified: Sean Lever