Federation of Conservative Students

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The Federation of Conservative Students (FCS) was the student wing of the British Conservative Party until it was disbanded by Party Chairman Norman Tebbit in 1986 and replaced by the Conservative Collegiate Forum.

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[edit] Factionalism

In its last years, the Federation of Conservative Students, perhaps reflecting the debate within the Conservative party of the 1980s and the generally fractious nature of student politics, was notably prone to factionalism. The three main factions were:

At various times during its history the FCS was the largest political student group in Britain, but the ruthlessness with which some of its factions pursued their aims brought the group notoriety.

[edit] The Wet Faction

The wet faction had controlled the Federation of Conservative Students until the 1980s. Most of whom were members of the Tory Reform Group. Despite a relatively high number of supporters and control of some large student bodies they only really gained influence within the national federation through controversial alliances with the authoritarian faction.

Many of the wet chairmen joined the SDP in 1981.[1]

In many universities the Tory Reform Group organised itself as a complementary political society to the main Conservative group. This is a policy that the Tory Reform Group maintains today.

[edit] The Libertarian Faction

The Libertarian faction was closely linked to the Libertarian Alliance run by Chris Tame. Many former leaders of the libertarian faction, such as Mark MacGregor, have gone on to hold senior office in the Conservative Party.

The libertarian faction was the largest faction in the FCS in its last few years, for example at the Leicester conference, shortly before the demise of the FCS, a libertarian motion was passed in favour of free migration, indicating it was stronger than the wets and 'authoritarians' combined.[2] It was opposed by both the wet and the authoritarian factions.

[edit] The Authoritarian Faction

The authoritarian faction centered around the student Monday Club and was known for its opposition to immigration and scepticism about liberal economics.[3]

[edit] Controversy

In the 1980s it was noted for being more radical than the main party until it was disbanded by the then party chairman Norman Tebbit for publishing an article which accused former Conservative Prime Minister Harold Macmillan of being complicit in the massacre of Serbian prisoners of War in the aftermath of World War II. Another controversial position was the "Hang Nelson Mandela" slogans which were apparently worn by some leading members.[4] In October 1985 they were accused of physically intimidating Edward Heath.[5]

There was some damage during the 1985 FCS conference at Loughborough, leading to press reports of a "riot". At that conference many of the libertarian faction were elected officers.[6] It had later been admitted that the reports were as a result of an "astute spinning operation" by Wet delegates[7] and that the bill presented for damage was less than £20.[8] After hearing of the media reports of these incidents, John Gummer immediately suspended the FCS's £30,000 annual grant.[9] Mark MacGregor said in response to Gummer's actions:

Unfortunately, many of our supporters will see this as a move against the leaders they have elected. Our supporters are from working-class backgrounds, and the party establishment seems to feel that we don't quite fit in.[10]

Although the Daily Star and the Daily Mirror carried reports of misbehaviour, Margot Norman of the Daily Telegraph wrote that the damage caused at Loughborough University

...may have been exaggerated...the University may send the Federation a bill for just £14...Students cleared up the mess after the offending party, and journalists who saw the room the morning after reported a damaged door handle, a missing light bulb and beer stains on the carpet in a corridor to be the only visible signs of damage.[11]

Inspector Patricia Perry of Loughborough Police Station claimed "I understand there was no physical damage". Professor Peter Havard-Williams of Loughborough University wrote a letter to The Times to disclaim many of the press reports and Gummer's actions:

Sir, as warden of the neighbouring hall of residence I heard little of the Conservative Students, unlike many other non-student conferences. There was no rampaging around halls of residence and the damage done was largely, if not solely, in one block. The damage itself was not more than that done by many other conferences and was not excessive.[12]

In the Observer, Toby Young wrote: "As nights of mob terror go, last Monday's party at the Federation of Conservative Students' Conference was pretty tame".[13] Both Young and Sir Alfred Sherman believed that Gummer's actions were motivated by the fact that the libertarian ideology of some of the FCS' members closely resembled some of Mrs. Thatcher's personal beliefs. Sherman wrote that Gummer's actions were "directed against the Prime Minister".[14]

Some members were accused of glorifying death squads in Central America. The Federation made badges with the words "Nicaragua Must be Free" as they supported the Reagan-sponsored Contras against the Sandinistas. Ironically, some Labour students began wearing them without realising their real meaning.[15]

After the FCS disbanded one of its former regional chairmen, William Beggs, was caught and convicted of the sexual murder and dismemberment of 18 year old Barry Wallace.[16]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "A group of past FCS chairmen defected to the SDP when it was formed in 1981" FCS twenty years on - Harry Phibbs remembers his days in the Federation of Conservative Students
  2. ^ The Federation of Conservative Students - Tory Diary, ConservativeHome
  3. ^ "However, there was a second wing of the FCS, known as the "authoritarian" faction, which received far less publicity. Closely linked to the right-wing Monday Club, its ideology married the economic liberalism expounded by the libertarians with more traditional English nationalism, as espoused by Enoch Powell. Its political agenda was dominated by total opposition to immigration, staunch support for the Union and an isolationist posture in relation to foreign affairs." Right Now! A forum for eugenecists from Searchlight magazine July 1998, hosted at the Institute for the Study of Academic Racism
  4. ^ "Hang Nelson Mandela" poster, from The South African Exiles Home Page
  5. ^ Andrew Denham and Mark Garnett, Keith Joseph (Acumen, 2002), p. 434.
  6. ^ Elections results published yesterday show that the 14,000-strong body has overwhelmingly voted for officers who espouse many of the controversial right wing 'libertarian' ideals which have embarrassed the party leadership. The Times, April 4, 1985, cited in footnote 107, Timothy Evans, Conservative Radicalism: A Sociology of Conservative Party Youth Structures and Libertarianism 1970-1992 (Berghahn Books, 1996), p. 36. ISBN 1571818723
  7. ^ Much of this bad publicity was due to an astute spinning operation largely associated with wet delegates from Oxford University. Nick Robinson now the BBC's political editor along with others including myself directed journalists to students who offered harrowing accounts of the boorish behaviour of libertarian activists. 5 minutes 23 seconds to 5 minutes 51 seconds, Tim Hames, A Burst Of Freedom, BBC Radio 4
  8. ^ It became clear that the damage done in this so called riot was vastly exagerated. The final bill for repairs that the University presented was under £20. There was not enough evidence to close the FCS as John Selwyn Gummer wanted. 6 minutes 31 seconds to 5 minutes 45 seconds, Tim Hames, A Burst Of Freedom, BBC Radio 4
  9. ^ John Gummer decided to suspend their £30,000 annual grant immediately., citing in footnote 108 the Daily Telegraph of 4 April 1985, Timothy Evans, Conservative Radicalism: A Sociology of Conservative Party Youth Structures and Libertarianism 1970-1992 (Berghahn Books, 1996), p. 36. ISBN 1571818723
  10. ^ Ibid. (Times 4 April 1985.)
  11. ^ Ibid, p. 37. (Telegraph, 6 April 1985.)
  12. ^ Ibid. (Times 12 April 1985.)
  13. ^ Ibid. (The Observer 7 April 1985.)
  14. ^ Ibid. (Sunday Times 14 April 1985.)
  15. ^ Jo-Anne Nadler, Too Nice to be a Tory: It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To (Simon & Schuster, 2004), p. 81.
  16. ^ Scotland's Gay Serial Killer, ScotsGay, October 2001
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