Bow Group
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The Bow Group is one of the oldest think tanks in the United Kingdom. Taking its name from the Bow area of London where it first met, it was founded in 1951. Their first pamphlet, Coloured People In Britain, was published in 1952. The group conducts research, publishes reports, engages in political debate, and produces the quarterly members magazine Crossbow.
The Bow Group argued that it was open to all Conservatives, and that it neither expressed a collective view nor organised meetings of MPs; rather it adopted an independent freely critical standpoint, was a non-partisan think-tank capable of airing ideas from both the 'one-nation' and libertarian sides of the Conservative Party. Ian Waller, writing in the Sunday Telegraph in 1971, disagreed, making comparisons between the Bow Group and the Conservative Monday Club, said that the two organisations their members and aims, were as different as chalk from cheese, and that the then current mood among Conservatives meant that the Club's rising membership had overtaken that of the Bow Group. Bow Group membership in 1975 stood at 1000.
In 1984 the Group sought to keep Margaret Thatcher to her election promises, urging her to make tax cuts, reduce public spending, and reform the tax and social security system. The Group is not averse to opposing the policies of the Conservative Party.
In February 2005 it published a report by former government minister, Peter Lilley, strongly opposing Labour Government plans, to introduce identity cards into the UK.
Prominent members of the group have included, Geoffrey Howe, William Rees-Mogg, Norman St John-Stevas, Michael Howard, Norman Lamont, Peter Lilley and Christopher Bland.
Contents |
[edit] Chairmen of the Bow Group
| 1951-52 | Bruce Griffiths |
| 1952-53 | James Lemkin |
| 1953-54 | Stone |
| 1954-55 | Williams |
| 1955-56 | Geoffrey Howe |
| 1956-57 | James Lemkin |
| 1957-58 | James Lemkin |
| 1958-59 | Russell Lewis |
| 1959-60 | David Hennessy |
| 1960-61 | Tom Hooson |
| 1961-62 | David Howell |
| 1962-63 | David Hennessy |
| 1963-64 | John MacGregor |
| 1964-65 | Leon Brittan |
| 1965-66 | Henry Bosch |
| 1966-67 | Julian Critchley |
| 1967-68 | Watts |
| 1968-69 | Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler |
| 1969-70 | Christopher Bland |
| 1970-71 | Michael Howard |
| 1971-72 | Norman Lamont |
| 1972-73 | Peter Lloyd |
| 1973-74 | Peter Lilley |
| 1974-75 | Peter Lilley |
| 1975-76 | Patricia Hodgson |
| 1976-77 | Clarke |
| 1977-78 | Michael Stern |
| 1978-79 | French |
| 1979-80 | Barber |
| 1980-81 | Richard Simmons |
| 1981-82 | Nirj Deva |
| 1982-83 | Colin Coulson-Thomas |
| 1983-84 | Shaw |
| 1984-85 | Michael Lingens |
| 1985-86 | Perry |
| 1986-87 | Nigel Waterson |
| 1987-88 | Cheryl Gillan |
| 1988-89 | Marie-Louise Rossi |
| 1989-90 | Donaldson |
| 1990-91 | Harvey |
| 1991-92 | Jerome-Smith |
| 1992-93 | Nick Hawkins |
| 1993-94 | David Campbell-Bannerman |
| 1994-95 | Alexander Nicoll |
| 1995-96 | Button |
| 1996-97 | Jeremy Bradshaw |
| 1997-98 | Nick Green |
| 1998-99 | Nick Edgar |
| 1999-2000 | Andrew Jones |
| 2000-01 | Guy Strafford |
| 2001-02 | Damian Hinds |
| 2002-03 | Jocelyn Ormond |
| 2003-04 | Giles Taylor |
| 2004-05 | Chris Philp |
| 2005-06 | Kwasi Kwarteng |
| 2006-07 | Sam Gyimah |
[edit] References
- Copping, Robert, The Story of The Monday Club - The First Decade, Foreword by George Pole, Current Affairs Information Service, Ilford, Essex, April 1972, (P/B), p.28.
- Coxall, Bill, and Lynton Robins, Contemporary British Politics, Macmillan Publishers, London, first published 1989, revised reprint 1992, p.239, (P/B), ISBN 0-333-34046-9
- Barr, James, The Bow Group: A History, Politico's Publishing, London, 2001,
