This article needs to be updated. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(April 2015)
The Conservative Party incorporates three main schools of thought; along with the traditionalist-leaning Cornerstone Group, there are also the One Nation and Thatcherite elements. There is more than a degree of overlap between these groups, depending on the issue. The Cornerstone Group supports the unitary governance of the British state and opposes attempts to transfer power away from it — either downwards through regionalism and devolution, or upwards to the international control of the European Union. A manifesto released at the time of its foundation set out the Group's intentions:[2]
We believe that these values must be stressed: tradition; nation; family; religious ethics; free enterprise. We want to use the leadership election to argue for principles and policies, not about personalities. We must seize the centre ground and pull it kicking and screaming towards us. That is the only way to demolish the foundations of the liberal establishment and demonstrate to the electorate the fundamental flaws on which it is based.
— Strange Desertion of Tory England: The Conservative Alternative to the Liberal Orthodoxy, July 2005[2]
The Cornerstone Group appeared to be inactive after the 2019 elections (the source of the Cornerstone "About" page shows a last modified date in 2018);[3] Sir John Hayes's Common Sense Group, launched in 2020 in the wake of Black Lives Matter with about 40 MPs, is said to revive the Cornerstone Group.[4]
Its core focus points according to its website include the "monarchy; traditional marriage; family and community duties; proper pride in the United Kingdom's distinctive qualities; quality of life over soulless utility; social responsibility over personal selfishness; social justice as civic duty, not state dependency; compassion for those in need; reducing government waste; lower taxation and deregulation; and promotion and protection of ancient liberties against politically correct censorship and a commitment to the democratically elected UK parliament."[3]
This article needs to be updated. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(April 2017)
MPs, but not peers, listed on the Cornerstone Web site as members as of 20 June 2018.[3]
^"What is the Cornerstone group? Matthew Barrett profiles the socially conservative Tory backbench group".
^ abForman, Daniel (25 July 2015). . ePolitix.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2015. The pamphlet was also critical of the outgoing leader Michael Howard's general election campaign, which it accused of being "too timid" on tax cuts, public service reform and family values. "We believe that these values must be stressed: tradition, nation, family, religious ethics, free enterprise," Leigh said. "We want to use the leadership election to argue for principles and policies, not about personalities." He attacked modernisers who want to ape New Labour's cultural liberalism. "The liberals have constructed an empire of cultural assumptions which, conservatives must realise, you either surrender to or fight," he said. "Emulating New Labour both lacks authenticity and is unlikely to make us popular. "We must seize the centre ground and pull it kicking and screaming towards us. That is the only way to demolish the foundations of the liberal establishment and demonstrate to the electorate the fundamental flaws on which it is based.
^Knight was MP for Derby North from 1983 until 1997.
External links
The Cornerstone Group
25 July 2005
August 21, 2023
cornerstone, group, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, updated, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, update, this, . This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs to be updated Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information April 2015 This article may contain excessive or inappropriate references to self published sources Please help improve it by removing references to unreliable sources where they are used inappropriately January 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message The Cornerstone Group is a High Tory or traditional conservative political organisation within the British Conservative Party 1 It comprises Members of Parliament with a traditionalist outlook and was founded in 2005 The Group s president is Edward Leigh and its chairman John Hayes Many Conservative Party Members of Parliament and Peers belong to the Cornerstone Group including several members of His Majesty s Government Cornerstone GroupPresidentSir Edward LeighChairmanSir John HayesFounded2005 18 years ago 2005 HeadquartersUnited KingdomIdeologyHigh ToryismPaternalistic conservatismPolitical positionRight wingPartyConservative PartySloganFaith Flag and FamilyHouse of Commons Conservative seats 32 365Websitecornerstonegroup wbr wordpress wbr com Inactive The Conservative Party incorporates three main schools of thought along with the traditionalist leaning Cornerstone Group there are also the One Nation and Thatcherite elements There is more than a degree of overlap between these groups depending on the issue The Cornerstone Group supports the unitary governance of the British state and opposes attempts to transfer power away from it either downwards through regionalism and devolution or upwards to the international control of the European Union A manifesto released at the time of its foundation set out the Group s intentions 2 We believe that these values must be stressed tradition nation family religious ethics free enterprise We want to use the leadership election to argue for principles and policies not about personalities We must seize the centre ground and pull it kicking and screaming towards us That is the only way to demolish the foundations of the liberal establishment and demonstrate to the electorate the fundamental flaws on which it is based Strange Desertion of Tory England The Conservative Alternative to the Liberal Orthodoxy July 2005 2 The Cornerstone Group appeared to be inactive after the 2019 elections the source of the Cornerstone About page shows a last modified date in 2018 3 Sir John Hayes s Common Sense Group launched in 2020 in the wake of Black Lives Matter with about 40 MPs is said to revive the Cornerstone Group 4 Contents 1 Principles 2 Members 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksPrinciples EditIts name derives from the Cornerstone Group s support for three British social institutions the Church of England the unitary British state and the family To this end it emphasises England s Anglican heritage opposes any transfer of power away from the central government and institutions of the United Kingdom either downwards to the nations and regions or upwards to the European Union and seeks to place greater emphasis on traditional family structures to repair what has been termed as Britain s broken society as well as calling for lower levels of immigration into the UK citation needed Its core focus points according to its website include the monarchy traditional marriage family and community duties proper pride in the United Kingdom s distinctive qualities quality of life over soulless utility social responsibility over personal selfishness social justice as civic duty not state dependency compassion for those in need reducing government waste lower taxation and deregulation and promotion and protection of ancient liberties against politically correct censorship and a commitment to the democratically elected UK parliament 3 Prominent MPs from this wing of the party include Owen Paterson and John Redwood Though the group is marked out by its support for the Anglican Church it also includes more traditional Catholic members such as Jacob Rees Mogg and Edward Leigh and Muslims such as Sajid Javid citation needed Members EditThis article needs to be updated Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information April 2017 MPs but not peers listed on the Cornerstone Web site as members as of 20 June 2018 3 Member Constituency ElectedEdward Leigh Gainsborough 1983Bill Cash Stone 1984John Redwood Wokingham 1987John Whittingdale Maldon 1992John Hayes South Holland and the Deepings 1997Christopher Chope Christchurch 1997 prev 1983 5 Laurence Robertson Tewkesbury 1997Ian Liddell Grainger Bridgwater and West Somerset 2001Greg Knight East Yorkshire 2001 prev 1983 6 Andrew Rosindell Romford 2001Peter Bone Wellingborough 2005Stephen Crabb Preseli Pembrokeshire 2005David T C Davies Monmouth 2005Philip Davies Shipley 2005Nadine Dorries Mid Bedfordshire 2005Robert Goodwill Scarborough and Whitby 2005Greg Hands Chelsea and Fulham 2005Philip Hollobone Kettering 2005Adam Holloway Gravesham 2005David Jones Clwyd West 2005Daniel Kawczynski Shrewsbury and Atcham 2005Charles Walker Broxbourne 2005Nigel Adams Selby and Ainsty 2010Steve Baker Wycombe 2010Fiona Bruce Congleton 2010Robert Halfon Harlow 2010Sajid Javid Bromsgrove 2010Kwasi Kwarteng Spelthorne 2010Jacob Rees Mogg North East Somerset 2010Priti Patel Witham 2010Martin Vickers Cleethorpes 2010See also Edit conservatism portalBow Group Traditional Britain Group Conservative Christian FellowshipReferences Edit What is the Cornerstone group Matthew Barrett profiles the socially conservative Tory backbench group a b Forman Daniel 25 July 2015 Conservative MPs call for moral values agenda ePolitix com Archived from the original on 4 June 2011 Retrieved 25 October 2015 The pamphlet was also critical of the outgoing leader Michael Howard s general election campaign which it accused of being too timid on tax cuts public service reform and family values We believe that these values must be stressed tradition nation family religious ethics free enterprise Leigh said We want to use the leadership election to argue for principles and policies not about personalities He attacked modernisers who want to ape New Labour s cultural liberalism The liberals have constructed an empire of cultural assumptions which conservatives must realise you either surrender to or fight he said Emulating New Labour both lacks authenticity and is unlikely to make us popular We must seize the centre ground and pull it kicking and screaming towards us That is the only way to demolish the foundations of the liberal establishment and demonstrate to the electorate the fundamental flaws on which it is based a b c About us Cornerstone 20 June 2018 Toynbee Polly 27 October 2022 Braverman s return shows how deeply Sunak is in hock to the hard right The Guardian Chope was MP for Southampton Itchen from 1983 until 1992 Knight was MP for Derby North from 1983 until 1997 External links EditThe Cornerstone Group Press release about the founding of the Cornerstone Group 25 July 2005 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cornerstone Group amp oldid 1162660095, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
