Cambridge Mafia
Encyclopedia
The Cambridge Mafia was a pejorative
term which referred to the fact that many senior British Conservative Party
politicians of the 1980s and 1990s attended the University of Cambridge
at roughly the same time in the early 1960s — many of them served as Chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association
, or President of the Cambridge Union Society
, and several of them held both offices. Apart from Leon Brittan, none of them attained great academic distinction at University. The group's contemporaries at Cambridge included David Frost
and Peter Cook
, both of whom were active in Footlights
at the time, and Vince Cable.
The period of prominence of the Cambridge Mafia was something of an aberration for the Conservative Party, which traditionally has closer links to Oxford
than Cambridge. Between 1955 and 1990 the party was led
by five consecutive Oxford graduates (Anthony Eden
, Harold Macmillan
, Alec Douglas-Home
, Edward Heath
, Margaret Thatcher
). The group has been succeeded by a newer generation of Conservative politicians, again led by Oxford graduates (notably David Cameron
, William Hague
and George Osborne
).
They were of relatively modest social background — several of them (Fowler, Howard, Clarke) had attended grammar school
rather than fee-paying schools. In his memoirs Norman Fowler records that during his National Service, although he became a commissioned officer, it was in an ordinary county regiment (Essex
) rather than the fashionable Guards or cavalry regiments favoured by young men from elite social backgrounds (as National Service was abolished in 1960, most members of the "Cambridge Mafia" just missed having to serve).
They included:
A famous photograph, reproduced in a number of biographies of Clarke and Howard, shows Brittan and Gummer as ushers at Clarke's wedding shortly after his graduation, with Fowler, Howard and Lamont also present.
It should not be assumed that these men all operated as a cohesive unit throughout their careers. Brittan and Fowler — who were slightly older — were Cabinet Ministers in the 1980s, earlier than the others. Howard entered Parliament in 1983, much later than his contemporaries, having first had a successful career as a barrister. In the early part of 1993 Clarke and Howard (both of whom angled publicly for the job — it was given to Clarke) both pushed for the removal of Lamont as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Clarke and Howard were rivals for the party leadership in 1997, and almost again in 2003 (although in the event Clarke did not stand and Howard was elected unopposed — Howard had not been a candidate in the 2001 contest, in which Iain Duncan Smith had defeated Clarke).
Howard was the only member of the group to become party leader, and none became Prime Minister. By the time the Conservatives returned to government in 2010, Clarke and Lilley were the only members of the group who remained in the House of Commons; Clarke was appointed Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor
.
Pejorative
Pejoratives , including name slurs, are words or grammatical forms that connote negativity and express contempt or distaste. A term can be regarded as pejorative in some social groups but not in others, e.g., hacker is a term used for computer criminals as well as quick and clever computer experts...
term which referred to the fact that many senior British 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...
politicians of the 1980s and 1990s attended the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
at roughly the same time in the early 1960s — many of them served as Chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association
Cambridge University Conservative Association
The Cambridge University Conservative Association is a long-established political society going back to 1921, with roots in the late nineteenth century, as a Conservative branch for students at Cambridge University in England...
, or President of the Cambridge Union Society
Cambridge Union Society
The Cambridge Union Society, commonly referred to as simply "the Cambridge Union" or "the Union," is a debating society in Cambridge, England and is the largest society at the University of Cambridge. Since its founding in 1815, the Union has developed a worldwide reputation as a noted symbol of...
, and several of them held both offices. Apart from Leon Brittan, none of them attained great academic distinction at University. The group's contemporaries at Cambridge included David Frost
David Frost
Sir David Frost is a British broadcaster.David Frost may also refer to:*David Frost , South African golfer*David Frost , classical record producer*David Frost *Dave Frost, baseball pitcher...
and Peter Cook
Peter Cook
Peter Edward Cook was an English satirist, writer and comedian. An extremely influential figure in modern British comedy, he is regarded as the leading light of the British satire boom of the 1960s. He has been described by Stephen Fry as "the funniest man who ever drew breath," although Cook's...
, both of whom were active in Footlights
Footlights
Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University....
at the time, and Vince Cable.
The period of prominence of the Cambridge Mafia was something of an aberration for the Conservative Party, which traditionally has closer links to Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
than Cambridge. Between 1955 and 1990 the party was led
Leaders of the Conservative Party
The Leader of the Conservative Party is the most senior politician within the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. The post is currently held by David Cameron, who s eeded Michael Howard in 2005, and who since 2010 is also the serving Prime Minister....
by five consecutive Oxford graduates (Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC was a British Conservative politician, who was Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957...
, Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
, Alec Douglas-Home
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
, Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
, Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
). The group has been succeeded by a newer generation of Conservative politicians, again led by Oxford graduates (notably 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 ....
, William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
and George Osborne
George Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
).
They were of relatively modest social background — several of them (Fowler, Howard, Clarke) had attended grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
rather than fee-paying schools. In his memoirs Norman Fowler records that during his National Service, although he became a commissioned officer, it was in an ordinary county regiment (Essex
Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army that saw active service from 1881 to 1958. Members of the regiment were recruited from across Essex county. Its lineage is continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment.-Origins:...
) rather than the fashionable Guards or cavalry regiments favoured by young men from elite social backgrounds (as National Service was abolished in 1960, most members of the "Cambridge Mafia" just missed having to serve).
They included:
| Name | Cambridge | Political career (in Government ; in Opposition ; CONSERVATIVE PARTY POSITION) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College (Subject) |
Grad. | Offices | Chancellor | Foreign Sec. | Home Sec. | Other | |
| Norman Fowler Norman Fowler Norman Fowler, Baron Fowler, PC is a British Conservative politician who was from 1981 to 1990 a member of Margaret Thatcher's Cabinet.-Early life:... (Lord Fowler of Sutton Coldfield, 2001) |
Trinity Hall Trinity Hall, Cambridge Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :... (Economics and Law) |
1961 | CUCA Chairman Mich. 1960 | 1998–99 | Minister/Sec.S. for Transport 1979–81 Sec.S. for Social Services 1981–87 Sec.S. for Employment 1987–90 PARTY CHAIRMAN 1992–94 Sec.S. for the Environment, Transport and the Regions 1997-98 Sec.S. for the Home Department 1998-99 |
||
| 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... (Lord Howard of Lympne, 2010) |
Peterhouse Peterhouse, Cambridge Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely... (Economics and Law) |
1962 | Union President Easter 1962 | 2001–03 | 1997–99 | 1993–97 | Sec.S. for Employment 1990–92 Sec.S. for the Environment 1992–93 Sec.S. for the Home Department 1993–97 Sec.S. for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 1997–99 Chancellor of the Exchequer 2001–03 PARTY LEADER 2003–05 |
| John Gummer John Gummer John Selwyn Gummer, Baron Deben, PC is a British Conservative Party politician, formerly Member of Parliament for Suffolk Coastal, now a member of the House of Lords. He is Chairman of the environmental consultancy company Sancroft International and Chairman of Veolia Water... (Lord Deben, 2010) |
Selwyn Selwyn College, Cambridge Selwyn College is a constituent college in the University of Cambridge in England, United Kingdom.The college was founded by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of the Rt Reverend George Selwyn , who rowed on the Cambridge crew in the first Varsity Boat Race in 1829, and went on to become the... (History) |
1962 | CUCA Chairman Easter 1961 Union President Lent 1962 |
PARTY CHAIRMAN 1983–85 Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1989–93 Sec.S. for the Environment 1993–97 Sec.S. for the Environment, Transport and the Regions 1997 |
|||
| Kenneth Clarke Kenneth Clarke Kenneth Harry "Ken" Clarke, QC, MP is a British Conservative politician, currently Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. He was first elected to Parliament in 1970; and appointed a minister in Edward Heath's government, in 1972, and is one of... |
Gonville & Caius Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and... (Law) |
1964 | CUCA Chairman Mich. 1961 Union President Easter 1963 |
1993–97 | 1992–93 | Paymaster General 1985–87 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1987–88 Sec.S. for Health 1988–90 Sec.S. for Education & Science 1990–92 Sec.S. for the Home Department 1992–93 Chancellor of the Exchequer 1993–97 Sec.S. for Business 2009– PARTY LEADERSHIP CANDIDATE 1997, 2001, 2005 Sec.S. for Justice & Lord Chancellor 2010– |
|
| Leon Brittan (Lord Brittan of Spennithorne, 2000) |
Trinity Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows... (English and Law) |
1961 | Union President Mich. 1960 | 1983–85 | Chief Sec. to the Treasury 1981–83 Sec.S. for the Home Department 1983–85 Sec.S. for Trade & Industry 1985–86 European Commissioner 1989–99 |
||
| Norman Lamont (Lord Lamont of Lerwick, 1998) |
Fitzwilliam Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Fitzwilliam College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge in England.The college traces its origins back to 1869 and the foundation of the Non-Collegiate Students Board, a venture intended to offer students from less financially privileged backgrounds a chance to study... (Economics) |
1965 | CUCA Chairman Easter 1963 Union President Lent 1964 |
1990–93 | Financial Sec. to the Treasury 1986–89 Chief Sec. to the Treasury 1989–90 Chancellor of the Exchequer 1990–93 |
||
| 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... |
Clare Clare College, Cambridge Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"... (Economics and Physics) |
1965 | 1997–98 | Economic Sec. to the Treasury 1987–89 Financial Sec. to the Treasury 1989–90 Sec.S. for Trade & Industry 1990–92 Sec.S. for Social Security 1992–97 Chancellor of the Exchequer 1997–98 DEPUTY PARTY LEADER 1998–99 |
|||
A famous photograph, reproduced in a number of biographies of Clarke and Howard, shows Brittan and Gummer as ushers at Clarke's wedding shortly after his graduation, with Fowler, Howard and Lamont also present.
It should not be assumed that these men all operated as a cohesive unit throughout their careers. Brittan and Fowler — who were slightly older — were Cabinet Ministers in the 1980s, earlier than the others. Howard entered Parliament in 1983, much later than his contemporaries, having first had a successful career as a barrister. In the early part of 1993 Clarke and Howard (both of whom angled publicly for the job — it was given to Clarke) both pushed for the removal of Lamont as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Clarke and Howard were rivals for the party leadership in 1997, and almost again in 2003 (although in the event Clarke did not stand and Howard was elected unopposed — Howard had not been a candidate in the 2001 contest, in which Iain Duncan Smith had defeated Clarke).
Howard was the only member of the group to become party leader, and none became Prime Minister. By the time the Conservatives returned to government in 2010, Clarke and Lilley were the only members of the group who remained in the House of Commons; Clarke was appointed Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
.