Conservative Research Department
Encyclopedia
The Conservative Research Department (CRD) is part of the central organisation of the Conservative Party
of the United Kingdom
. It operates alongside other departments of Conservative Campaign Headquarters at 30 Millbank, London SW1.
CRD was established by Neville Chamberlain
in 1929 to undertake detailed policy work for the leader of the Party (then Stanley Baldwin
) and his principal colleagues. It was the first real think-tank of the right in British politics. For 50 years it occupied its own premises in Old Queen Street overlooking St James's Park, but after the 1979 election, Margaret Thatcher
united it physically with the rest of the Party's Central Office.
Until 1940 CRD was in practice virtually the private political property of Neville Chamberlain
, furnishing him with policy papers and contributions to his speeches. A tightly knit group of six (who for a time included Frank Pakenham, the future Lord Longford) developed a detailed policy programme for him with a bias toward progressive social measures, including family allowances and better pensions for all.
CRD's work was suspended during the war, but the Department was re-established on a wider basis with a much larger staff by Rab Butler
, its Chairman for 20 years (1945–65). Its extended post-war role included the provision of extensive briefing material on major legislation before Parliament and all the main issues of political controversy as they arose, as well as working with Butler to create the post-war Conservatism embodied in the famous series of charters of the late-1940s.
CRD was therefore the instrument through which the course of Conservative policy was determined during what is known as the 'post-war consensus
' until it broke down in the 1970s. The series of Campaign Guides which CRD began to produce in 1950 recorded in detail the progress of Conservative Governments in this period—and more recent volumes in the series have continued to provide a full, official account of Conservative policy and its implementation.
When Margaret Thatcher
became party leader in 1975, CRD organised the full policy review co-ordinated by Sir Keith Joseph which preceded her election as Prime Minister. In office she valued CRD primarily for the thorough and effective way in which it communicated to the Party at large the reasons why radical political change was needed and explained how Britain was being transformed as a result of them. CRD was a vital link between a reforming administration and the Party on whose support it depended. It was entrusted with the production of her general election manifestos and worked closely with her during election campaigns.
The tradition of working closely with the Party leader and other senior figures continued. During the 2005 election CRD was once again the leader's policy secretariat, assisting Michael Howard
's close advisers with the formulation of the Conservative position on all key subjects and the development of the strategy for the campaign. They also wrote and published the latest volume of the historic Campaign Guide, providing detailed policy and political attack material, under the editorship of CRD veteran Alistair B. Cooke (now Lord Lexden).
Under David Cameron
CRD was reorganised, and in June 2006 Desk Officers (subject specialists) were retitled as Special Advisers to the Shadow Cabinet and relocated to the House of Commons, whilst the enlarged political section and the policy secretariat remained at Campaign HQ. This experiment was reversed the following year when in September 2007 the possibility of an early General Election prompted the Party leadership to move Special Advisers back in-house to the new Campaign Headquarters at 30 Millbank.
The importance of CRD as a training ground for leading Conservative politicians has been widely acknowledged. After 1945, Enoch Powell
, Iain Macleod
, Reginald Maudling
and Chris Patten
all passed through it. The Chairman of the Department (currently CRD alumnus) has a seat in the Shadow Cabinet
. Other former CRD advisers in the Cabinet include Oliver Letwin
, the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley
, the Chancellor of the Exchequor George Osborne
and the Leader of the Party and Prime Minister, David Cameron
himself.
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...
of the United Kingdom
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...
. It operates alongside other departments of Conservative Campaign Headquarters at 30 Millbank, London SW1.
CRD was established by Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
in 1929 to undertake detailed policy work for the leader of the Party (then Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
) and his principal colleagues. It was the first real think-tank of the right in British politics. For 50 years it occupied its own premises in Old Queen Street overlooking St James's Park, but after the 1979 election, Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
united it physically with the rest of the Party's Central Office.
Until 1940 CRD was in practice virtually the private political property of Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
, furnishing him with policy papers and contributions to his speeches. A tightly knit group of six (who for a time included Frank Pakenham, the future Lord Longford) developed a detailed policy programme for him with a bias toward progressive social measures, including family allowances and better pensions for all.
CRD's work was suspended during the war, but the Department was re-established on a wider basis with a much larger staff by Rab Butler
Rab Butler
Richard Austen Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC , who invariably signed his name R. A. Butler and was familiarly known as Rab, was a British Conservative politician...
, its Chairman for 20 years (1945–65). Its extended post-war role included the provision of extensive briefing material on major legislation before Parliament and all the main issues of political controversy as they arose, as well as working with Butler to create the post-war Conservatism embodied in the famous series of charters of the late-1940s.
CRD was therefore the instrument through which the course of Conservative policy was determined during what is known as the 'post-war consensus
Post-war consensus
The post-war consensus is a name given by historians to an era in British political history which lasted from the end of World War II in 1945 to the election of Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1979....
' until it broke down in the 1970s. The series of Campaign Guides which CRD began to produce in 1950 recorded in detail the progress of Conservative Governments in this period—and more recent volumes in the series have continued to provide a full, official account of Conservative policy and its implementation.
When Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
became party leader in 1975, CRD organised the full policy review co-ordinated by Sir Keith Joseph which preceded her election as Prime Minister. In office she valued CRD primarily for the thorough and effective way in which it communicated to the Party at large the reasons why radical political change was needed and explained how Britain was being transformed as a result of them. CRD was a vital link between a reforming administration and the Party on whose support it depended. It was entrusted with the production of her general election manifestos and worked closely with her during election campaigns.
The tradition of working closely with the Party leader and other senior figures continued. During the 2005 election CRD was once again the leader's policy secretariat, assisting 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...
's close advisers with the formulation of the Conservative position on all key subjects and the development of the strategy for the campaign. They also wrote and published the latest volume of the historic Campaign Guide, providing detailed policy and political attack material, under the editorship of CRD veteran Alistair B. Cooke (now Lord Lexden).
Under 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 ....
CRD was reorganised, and in June 2006 Desk Officers (subject specialists) were retitled as Special Advisers to the Shadow Cabinet and relocated to the House of Commons, whilst the enlarged political section and the policy secretariat remained at Campaign HQ. This experiment was reversed the following year when in September 2007 the possibility of an early General Election prompted the Party leadership to move Special Advisers back in-house to the new Campaign Headquarters at 30 Millbank.
The importance of CRD as a training ground for leading Conservative politicians has been widely acknowledged. After 1945, Enoch Powell
Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from...
, Iain Macleod
Iain Macleod
Iain Norman Macleod was a British Conservative Party politician and government minister.-Early life:...
, Reginald Maudling
Reginald Maudling
Reginald Maudling was a British politician who held several Cabinet posts, including Chancellor of the Exchequer. He had been spoken of as a prospective Conservative leader since 1955, and was twice seriously considered for the post; he was Edward Heath's chief rival in 1965...
and Chris Patten
Chris Patten
Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC , is the last Governor of British Hong Kong, a former British Conservative politician, and the current chairman of the BBC Trust....
all passed through it. The Chairman of the Department (currently CRD alumnus) has a seat in the Shadow Cabinet
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
. Other former CRD advisers in the Cabinet include Oliver Letwin
Oliver Letwin
Oliver Letwin MP FRSA is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he is currently the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, and a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of West Dorset...
, the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley
Andrew Lansley
Andrew David Lansley, CBE, MP is the UK Secretary of State for Health, who has been the Conservative Member of Parliament for South Cambridgeshire since the 1997 general election, and was Shadow Secretary of State for Health from June 2004 until becoming Secretary of State for Health in May 2010...
, the Chancellor of the Exchequor 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...
and the Leader of the Party and Prime Minister, 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 ....
himself.