Bow Group
Encyclopedia
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. The group conducts research, publishes reports, engages in political debate, and produces the quarterly members magazine Crossbow.
Conservative Association. Their first pamphlet, Coloured People In Britain, was published in 1952.
The group was established as an extra-parliamentary forum for young people. It was to be a broad church, stretching across the Conservative Party, but found itself opposed to the Conservative Monday Club
, leading to a misperception that the group was 'left-wing'.
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, and was a think-tank capable of airing ideas from all 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 the 1970s, the Group was also closely associated with the development of Post Keynesian economics and policy, which would come to fruition in Britain and throughout Europe in the late 1980s.
The ability of the Bow Group to house different strands of the Tory tradition was demonstrated at its 25th anniversary dinner in 1976. This occasion brought together both Margaret Thatcher, the new party leader, and Edward Heath, the former Prime Minister.
In the period to 1979, the concept of freedom infused much of the Group's work, although it was not directly associated with Mrs Thatcher, and indeed maintained an objective view of her government.
In 1984 the Group sought to keep Margaret Thatcher
to her election promise
s, 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
.
The 90 policy papers published by the Group in the 1990s covered topics including pensions, the charity sector, shareholder democracy, people with disabilities, housing, education, public transport and the reform of governmental institutions.
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.
Shortly before the 2005 party conference the Bow Group published a book, "From the ashes", a collection of essays detailing the visions held for the future of the party by senior Conservative figures, including the current Prime Minister
David Cameron
and all who stood in the leadership contest. This accompanied some powerful structured polling evidence released by the Bow Group at conference which made it clear just how far the party would have to go in rebranding itself to become electable once again.
Early in 2006 the Group hit the headlines once again, this time due to "Keep it simple", a paper which details the extent of maladministration in the UK tax system and gives some ideas for reform.
2010 saw the Bow Group publish an influential pamphlet on the future of UK rail transit, "The Right Track" authored by Tony Lodge and Lord Heseltine. The paper set out a proposed route for the UK's High Speed Rail Network (HS2) as an alternative to the then Labour Government's route. The paper was later to be the source of controversy in 2011 when though the Conservative led Coalition Government did not implement the proposals set out in the paper, in October 2011 the Shadow Transport Minister
adopted the "Bow Group Route" as Labour Party Policy.
In 2011 current research secretary Richard Mabey produced a paper with Bernard Jenkin
MP on the Alternative Vote system "Death of the Conviction Voter - Fairness and Tactics under AV" which was often cited during the 2011 AV referendum debate and was seen as being an influential contribution to the thinking of the "NOtoAV
" campaign. .
Also in 2011 Bow Group Chairman Ben Harris-Quinney co-authored a paper with Dr Charles Tannock
MEP on "The Eurozone & Germany - understanding the German Mind". The paper argued for greater engagement and dialogue between the UK and the German populous, and the necessity for policy makers in the UK to better understand the economic and foreign policy motivations of Germany as the nation at the centre of the eurozone. The paper was seen to advocate EU realism as an antidote to the increasingly controversial debate on EU membership within the UK Conservative Party
.
The Bow Group remains at the forefront of new thinking within the Conservative Party, focusing in the new parliament on business & economics, foreign policy, health, education, social policy & culture media & sport. A selection of papers is available in the Research section of this site.
, Michael Howard
, Geoffrey Howe
, Norman Lamont, Peter Lilley
, William Rees-Mogg
, Alastair Ross Goobey
and Norman St John-Stevas.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Taking its name from the Bow
Bow, London
Bow is an area of London, England, United Kingdom in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a built-up, mostly residential district located east of Charing Cross, and is a part of the East End.-Bridges at Bowe:...
area of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where it first met, it was founded in 1951. The group conducts research, publishes reports, engages in political debate, and produces the quarterly members magazine Crossbow.
History
On 29 November 1950, a steering meeting was held to set up a group for Conservatives under the age of 35. The resulting group had its first meeting in 7 February 1951 and was named after the place where the original steering meeting had been held: the Bow and BromleyBow and Bromley (UK Parliament constituency)
Bow and Bromley was a constituency in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Located in the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar in London, it was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act for the 1885 general election and returned one Member of Parliament until it was abolished by the 1950 general...
Conservative Association. Their first pamphlet, Coloured People In Britain, was published in 1952.
The group was established as an extra-parliamentary forum for young people. It was to be a broad church, stretching across the Conservative Party, but found itself opposed to the Conservative Monday Club
Conservative Monday Club
The Conservative Monday Club is a British pressure group "on the right-wing" of the Conservative Party.-Overview:...
, leading to a misperception that the group was 'left-wing'.
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, and was a think-tank capable of airing ideas from all sides of the Conservative Party. Ian Waller, writing in the Sunday Telegraph
Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961. It is the sister paper of The Daily Telegraph, but is run separately with a different editorial staff, although there is some cross-usage of stories...
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 the 1970s, the Group was also closely associated with the development of Post Keynesian economics and policy, which would come to fruition in Britain and throughout Europe in the late 1980s.
The ability of the Bow Group to house different strands of the Tory tradition was demonstrated at its 25th anniversary dinner in 1976. This occasion brought together both Margaret Thatcher, the new party leader, and Edward Heath, the former Prime Minister.
In the period to 1979, the concept of freedom infused much of the Group's work, although it was not directly associated with Mrs Thatcher, and indeed maintained an objective view of her government.
In 1984 the Group sought to keep Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
to her election promise
Election promise
An election promise is a promise made to the public by a politician who is trying to win an election. They have long been a central element of elections and remain so today...
s, 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
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
The 90 policy papers published by the Group in the 1990s covered topics including pensions, the charity sector, shareholder democracy, people with disabilities, housing, education, public transport and the reform of governmental institutions.
In February 2005 it published a report by former government minister, Peter Lilley
Peter Lilley
Peter Bruce Lilley MP is a British Conservative Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament MP since 1983. He currently represents the constituency of Hitchin and Harpenden and, prior to boundary changes, represented St Albans...
strongly opposing Labour Government plans to introduce identity cards
British national identity card
The Identity Cards Act 2006 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It provided for National Identity Cards, a personal identification document and European Union travel document, linked to a database known as the National Identity Register .The introduction of the scheme was much...
into the UK.
Shortly before the 2005 party conference the Bow Group published a book, "From the ashes", a collection of essays detailing the visions held for the future of the party by senior Conservative figures, including the current Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
and all who stood in the leadership contest. This accompanied some powerful structured polling evidence released by the Bow Group at conference which made it clear just how far the party would have to go in rebranding itself to become electable once again.
Early in 2006 the Group hit the headlines once again, this time due to "Keep it simple", a paper which details the extent of maladministration in the UK tax system and gives some ideas for reform.
2010 saw the Bow Group publish an influential pamphlet on the future of UK rail transit, "The Right Track" authored by Tony Lodge and Lord Heseltine. The paper set out a proposed route for the UK's High Speed Rail Network (HS2) as an alternative to the then Labour Government's route. The paper was later to be the source of controversy in 2011 when though the Conservative led Coalition Government did not implement the proposals set out in the paper, in October 2011 the Shadow Transport Minister
Maria Eagle
Maria Eagle is a British solicitor and Labour Party politician. She is the Member of Parliament for Garston and Halewood, having been the MP for Liverpool Garston from 1997 to 2010....
adopted the "Bow Group Route" as Labour Party Policy.
In 2011 current research secretary Richard Mabey produced a paper with Bernard Jenkin
Bernard Jenkin
Bernard Christison Jenkin is a politician in the United Kingdom, and the current Member of Parliament for Harwich and North Essex...
MP on the Alternative Vote system "Death of the Conviction Voter - Fairness and Tactics under AV" which was often cited during the 2011 AV referendum debate and was seen as being an influential contribution to the thinking of the "NOtoAV
NOtoAV
NOtoAV was a political campaign in the United Kingdom whose purpose was to persuade the public to vote against the Alternative Vote in the referendum on Thursday, 5 May 2011. NOtoAV was successful in maintaining the current voting system having received 67.9% of votes cast.-Parties in the House of...
" campaign. .
Also in 2011 Bow Group Chairman Ben Harris-Quinney co-authored a paper with Dr Charles Tannock
Charles Tannock
Dr Timothy Charles Ayrton Tannock is a British politician, psychiatrist, and Member of the European Parliament for London for the Conservative Party. He was first elected to the European Parliament in 1999...
MEP on "The Eurozone & Germany - understanding the German Mind". The paper argued for greater engagement and dialogue between the UK and the German populous, and the necessity for policy makers in the UK to better understand the economic and foreign policy motivations of Germany as the nation at the centre of the eurozone. The paper was seen to advocate EU realism as an antidote to the increasingly controversial debate on EU membership within the UK Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
The Bow Group remains at the forefront of new thinking within the Conservative Party, focusing in the new parliament on business & economics, foreign policy, health, education, social policy & culture media & sport. A selection of papers is available in the Research section of this site.
Membership
Prominent members of the group have included: Christopher BlandChristopher Bland
Sir Christopher Buchan Bland is a British businessman and politician. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC from 1996 to 2001, when he took up a position as Chairman of British Telecommunications plc...
, Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
, Geoffrey Howe
Geoffrey Howe
Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe, Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, QC, PC is a former British Conservative politician. He was Margaret Thatcher's longest-serving Cabinet minister, successively holding the posts of Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary, and finally Leader of the House of Commons...
, Norman Lamont, Peter Lilley
Peter Lilley
Peter Bruce Lilley MP is a British Conservative Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament MP since 1983. He currently represents the constituency of Hitchin and Harpenden and, prior to boundary changes, represented St Albans...
, William Rees-Mogg
William Rees-Mogg
William Rees-Mogg, Baron Rees-Mogg is an English journalist and life peer.-Education:Rees-Mogg was educated at Clifton College Preparatory School in Bristol and Charterhouse School in Godalming, followed by Balliol College, Oxford...
, Alastair Ross Goobey
Alastair Ross Goobey
Alastair Ross Goobey CBE , was a leading British investment manager and pension fund manager.As CEO between 1993 and 2001 of Hermes Pensions Management, he played a leading role in developing institutional shareholder activism on the London Stock Exchange, instrumental in improving the culture of...
and Norman St John-Stevas.
Chairmen of the Bow Group
| Years | Chairman |
|---|---|
| 1951–52 | Bruce Griffiths |
| 1952–53 | James Lemkin (first time) |
| 1953–54 | Stone |
| 1954–55 | Williams |
| 1955–56 | Geoffrey Howe Geoffrey Howe Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe, Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, QC, PC is a former British Conservative politician. He was Margaret Thatcher's longest-serving Cabinet minister, successively holding the posts of Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary, and finally Leader of the House of Commons... |
| 1956–58 | James Lemkin (second time) |
| 1958–59 | Russell Lewis |
| 1959–60 | David Hennessy David Hennessy, 3rd Baron Windlesham David James George Hennessy, 3rd Baron Windlesham and Baron Hennessy, CVO, PC, FBA was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom who held visiting professorships at various universities.... (first time) |
| 1960–61 | Tom Hooson Tom Hooson Tom Ellis Hooson was a British Conservative Party politician. Hooson was Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom for Brecon and Radnor. He gained the seat from Labour in 1979, and held it until he died in office in 1985 at the age of 52... |
| 1961–62 | David Howell David Howell, Baron Howell of Guildford David Arthur Russell Howell, Baron Howell of Guildford, PC , is a British Conservative politician, journalist, and economic consultant. Having been successively Secretary of State for Energy and then for Transport under Margaret Thatcher, Howell is now a Minister of State in the Foreign Office... |
| 1962–63 | David Hennessy David Hennessy, 3rd Baron Windlesham David James George Hennessy, 3rd Baron Windlesham and Baron Hennessy, CVO, PC, FBA was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom who held visiting professorships at various universities.... (second time) |
| 1963–64 | John MacGregor John MacGregor John Roddick Russell MacGregor, Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market, OBE PC FKC , is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was educated at Merchiston Castle School, then at the University of St Andrews and at King's College London... |
| 1964–65 | Leon Brittan |
| 1965–66 | Henry Bosch Henry Bosch Henry Bosch is an Australian businessman, CEO, Chairman and Governance advocate. He has worked to increase standards of corporate governance leading to his authorship of such reports as the 1991 Bosch Report: “Corporate Practices and Conduct”, The Workings of a Watchdog and The Director at Risk –... |
| 1966–67 | Julian Critchley Julian Critchley Sir Julian Michael Gordon Critchley was a British Conservative Party politician.Born in Islington, the son of a distinguished neurosurgeon, as a boy Critchley was brought up in Swiss Cottage, north London, and Shropshire, where he attended preparatory school, and later Shrewsbury School... |
| 1967–68 | Dr Reginald Watts |
| 1968–69 | Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler was a British politician, most notable for being the sole Conservative Member of Parliament to defect to the Social Democratic Party .... |
| 1969–70 | Christopher Bland Christopher Bland Sir Christopher Buchan Bland is a British businessman and politician. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC from 1996 to 2001, when he took up a position as Chairman of British Telecommunications plc... |
| 1970–71 | Michael Howard Michael Howard Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005... |
| 1971–72 | Norman Lamont |
| 1972–73 | Peter Lloyd Peter Lloyd (politician) Sir Peter Robert Cable Lloyd, is a retired English Conservative Party politician.Sir Peter was Member of Parliament for Fareham in the south of England from 1979 to 2001, when he retired and was succeeded by Mark Hoban.... |
| 1973–75 | Peter Lilley Peter Lilley Peter Bruce Lilley MP is a British Conservative Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament MP since 1983. He currently represents the constituency of Hitchin and Harpenden and, prior to boundary changes, represented St Albans... |
| 1975–76 | Patricia Hodgson Patricia Hodgson Dame Patricia Anne Hodgson, DBE is the Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge.-Biography:Following an early stint at the Conservative Party research department , Hodgson worked as a producer and journalist and was a founder-member of the distance learning team at the Open University... |
| 1976–77 | Clarke |
| 1977–78 | Michael Stern |
| 1978–79 | Douglas French Douglas French Douglas Charles French is a retired Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.He was elected to the House of Commons at the 1987 general election as Member of Parliament for Gloucester, succeeding former minister Sally Oppenheim... |
| 1979–80 | Barber |
| 1980–81 | Richard Simmons |
| 1981–82 | Nirj Deva Nirj Deva Niranjan Joseph "Nirj" De Silva Deva-Aditya FRSA DL is a politician from the United Kingdom. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been a Member of the European Parliament representing South East England since 1999... |
| 1982–83 | Colin Coulson-Thomas |
| 1983–84 | David Shaw David Shaw (UK politician) David Lawrence Shaw is a British former Member of Parliament . He was the Conservative Member for Dover from the 1987 general election until the 1997 election, when he lost the seat to Gwyn Prosser of Labour... |
| 1984–85 | Michael Lingens |
| 1985–86 | Nick Perry |
| 1986–87 | Nigel Waterson Nigel Waterson Nigel Christopher Waterson is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was Conservative Party member of Parliament for Eastbourne until the 2010 election. He was first elected in 1992... |
| 1987–88 | Cheryl Gillan Cheryl Gillan Cheryl Elise Kendall Gillan is a British Conservative Party politician. She is currently the Secretary of State for Wales, and the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Chesham and Amersham in Buckinghamshire.... |
| 1988–89 | Marie-Louise Rossi |
| 1989–90 | Ian Donaldson |
| 1990–91 | David Harvey |
| 1991–92 | Jerome Dexter-Smith |
| 1992–93 | Nick Hawkins Nick Hawkins Nicholas John "Nick" Hawkins is a lawyer and politician from the United Kingdom. He was a Conservative Party Member of Parliament from 1992-2005.... |
| 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 Andrew Jones (politician) Andrew Hanson Jones is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency since 7 May 2010. He has been a member of Harrogate Borough Council for the High Harrogate ward since 2003. In 2007, he gained more than half of the... |
| 2000–01 | Guy Strafford |
| 2001–02 | Damian Hinds Damian Hinds Damian Patrick George Hinds is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for the East Hampshire constituency.-Education:Hinds was educated at St... |
| 2002–03 | Jocelyn Ormond |
| 2003–04 | Giles Taylor |
| 2004–05 | Chris Philp |
| 2005–06 | Kwasi Kwarteng Kwasi Kwarteng Dr Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng is a British Conservative Party politician. After the retirement of Conservative MP David Wilshire, Kwarteng was elected as Member of Parliament for Spelthorne in Surrey in the 2010 general election, winning the seat with 22,261 votes and a majority of 10,019.-Early... |
| 2006–07 | Sam Gyimah Sam Gyimah Samuel Phillip Gyimah is a British Conservative Party politician. He was elected as the Member of Parliament for East Surrey at the 2010 general election.-Education:... |
| 2007–08 | Chris Skidmore |
| 2008–10 | Annesley Abercorn |
| 2010–11 | Brian Cattell |
| 2011– | Ben Harris-Quinney |
| Two consecutive terms. | |