One of the political parties in England which derives its main support from the Church and the rich classes of the country. It wishes to maintain status quo in the matter of monarchy, church, the capitalist system, etc. The party’s venture of invading Egypt in November 1956 brought it into great disrepute.
The Conservative Party won the election in May 1979 when the Labour Party suffered a crushing defeat. Mrs. Margaret Thatcher became the first woman Prime Minister of Great Britain. Mrs. Thatcher ordered mid-term poll in June 1983, and triumphed at the polls.
Mrs. Margaret Thatcher was forced to submit her resignation in November, 1990, when a revolt erupted in her party against her policy towards greater integration of EEC. Mr. John Major, a confidant of Mrs. Thatcher, won the leadership contest in Nov. 1990. Mr. Major lent his whole-hearted military support to the US efforts to compel Iraq to vacate Kuwait. John Major won the polls in 1991.
Image Source: cdn.3news.co.nz
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The BSE crisis in 1996 hit hard the reputation of the party. It was after a great deal of political jugglery that UK could ward off threat to its bovine population. UK was forced to kill a large number of cows. The Conservative Party lost to the Labour in 1997, John Major giving place to Tony Blair, William Hague replaced John Major as the Party leader.
Mr. Hague severely criticised the Irish policy of Prime Minister Tony Blair in September ’99. The Conservative Party continues to be in a limbo and is directionless and aimless. William Hague had been criticising the Labour’s warming up to the Euro in early 2001. June 2001 polls brought Labour Party back to power with greater majority thus confirming decline of the Conservative Party.
William Hague resigned from the leadership of the Conservative Party. In Sept. 2001, Ian Duncan Smith was elected leader of the Tories. Stock of the Tories or the Conservatives Party is in the upswing following the IRAQ fiasco perpetrated by the Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Tony Blair finally bowed out on June 27, 2007, he was succeeded by Gordon Brown, his no. 2 in the Cabinet. At first Brown toyed with the idea of mid-term elections, but the pollsters warned that the Labour Party was trailing.
Gordon Brown was committed to withdrawing the British troops from Basra, (Iraq) which has since been accomplished. Absence of British troops has resulted in worsening of law and order situation. Tony Blair had earned the sobriquet of Bush’s “poodle” for his relentless support of his Iraq policy. The inquiry into the IRAQ war in Britain is likely to highlight his role in the conflict.