What are the main factions within the Conservative Party?
After 13 years in power and heading to what appears to be defeat in the forthcoming general election, different factions within the Conservative Party have begun to take shape. Each of these factions has its own diagnosis for why the party has seen its fortune dip so rapidly and more importantly what it can do to cling onto power or at least make an immediate return to government. The main factions within the Conservative Party are as follows:
The Conservative Growth Group
The Conservative Growth Group are enthusiasts for the free market and the policies of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher who both dominated the 1980s in the US and UK. They want to see lower taxes and more deregulation within the economy.
Though their policies would be popular with a large number of conservatives, many others are more wary. The nominal leader of the Conservative Growth Group is none other then the 49-day Prime Minister, Liz Truss and given that Truss’ economic policies, which included reducing taxes, led to a market crash, many conservatives believe these are the right policies but just at the wrong time.
Key advocates within this group are Ranil Jayawardena and Simon Clarke. Though a small faction currently, expect the group to grow in size and influence if the Conservatives lose the next election.
The Northern Research Group (NRG)
The Northern Research Group is comprised of Conservative MPs who won seats from Labour in the old ‘Red Wall’ at the 2019 election. Their key demands are to ensure that the government’s promised ‘levelling up’ becomes a reality and this would include more funding for transport and infrastructure projects in the north of England.
Key figures in the factions include the former party chairman, Jake Berry, and the current Deputy chairman, Lee Anderson. This group had loyalty towards Boris Johnson, to whom they owed their seats at the 2019 election. They have warmed less to Rishi Sunak. This group may find itself extinct if current polling trends become reality at the next election when many will almost certainly lose their seats.
One Nation Conservatives
Once the most prominent faction within the Conservative Party, the centrist wing of the party has now been reduced in number considerably. This group believes in traditional conservative values such as paternalism, arguing that the party must support the less well off.
Theresa May was an archetypal One Nation Conservative. On becoming Prime Minister, she pledged to help the ‘just about managings’ (JAMs), a signal to her belief that conservatism should appeal to all throughout the nation and not just the elite.
This group took a hammering when Boris Johnson expelled 21 of their number in 2019 including names such as Ken Clarke, Rory Stewart, May’s chancellor, Phillip Hammond and the Justice Secretary David Guake. Some centrists still remain, including May herself, as well as her one time deputy Prime Minister, Damien Green and Greg Clark. Nonetheless, their influence has shifted and they have lost a sense of control over the party.
The Common Sense Group
This group might also be known as the Culture Warrior wing of the Conservative Party. The Common Sense Group can count as many as 50 MPs as being members and are currently led by Sir John Hayes. They are passionate about cultural issues and believe that Britain has been taken over by a liberal, left leaning elite. They count the National Trust, Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matter as targets for their ire.
In May 2023, many of the arguments being put forward by the Common Sense Group were being echoed by prominent Conservative politicians at the National Conservative Conference. Miriam Cates for example, argued against ‘woke ideology’ and ‘falling birthrates’.
If the Conservatives lose the next election it is likely that the Common Sense Group will become the King (or more likely Queen) makers in the leadership election that will follow. At present, they appear to be supportive of the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, although don’t be surprised if they throw their weight behind Kemi Badenoch.
Where’s Sunak?
Interestingly, you may have noticed that in a post about Conservative Party factions, the party leader and Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has not been mentioned. This is because identifying where Sunak sits within the party is difficult. Sunak is not a conservative with a clear ideology such as Liz Truss. He is affectionately labelled a technocrat, which means he is more interested in policy detail than a coherent set of ideas and policies that he truly believes in. Despite this label, Sunak has floated towards the culture warrior group, including many of their members in his cabinet and proposing policies that their number will support. Whether Sunak is genuinely a culture warrior is hard to gauge. Nonetheless, it does indicate that this group are the most prominent faction within the party today.
