Article

Factions

Friday, 30 January 2026

government-and-politics paper-1 political-parties conservative ai

This document was partially AI-generated, however adapted.

One Nation Conservatives

  • Moderate, pragmatic wing of the party
  • Support a mixed economy and limited state intervention
  • Emphasise social cohesion, welfare provision, and reducing inequality
  • Pro-institutions (NHS, welfare state)
  • Generally pro-EU or soft Eurosceptic
  • Associated figures: David Cameron, Theresa May

Common Sense Group

  • Founded in 2020 by Conservative MPs
  • Part of the New Right / social conservative wing
  • Strongly emphasises traditional British values
  • Focus on culture-war issues (e.g., free speech, national history, opposition to “woke” politics)
  • Supports law and order and a strong state response to protest
  • Nationalist outlook; prioritises sovereignty and patriotism
  • Critical of multiculturalism and identity politics
  • Not primarily focused on economic policy (culture > economics)
  • Influential in debates on education, heritage, and immigration

Associated figures

  • Sir John Hayes (founder)
  • Linked to MPs on the right of the party

Northern Research Group (emerging faction)

Example: Preston Bus Station Intended to ‘regenerate’ (bring money in, architecturally impressive).

  • Founded in 2019 by Conservative MPs representing northern English constituencies
  • Cross-factional but often strongly overlaps with Red Wall / Blue Collar Conservatives
  • Core focus on “levelling up” and reducing the North–South divide
  • Supports significant state investment in infrastructure, transport, skills, and public services
  • Economically interventionist and sceptical of austerity
  • Emphasises regional equality, productivity, and rebalancing the UK economy
  • Socially mixed but often culturally conservative
  • Pragmatic rather than ideological; outcomes > theory
  • Frequently pressures party leadership on funding formulas and regional policy

Associated figures

  • Jake Berry (founder, former chair)
  • Many MPs elected in post-2019 Red Wall seats

Red Wall / Blue Collar Conservatives (emerging faction)

  • Focus on working-class voters in former Labour areas
  • Support state intervention, public spending, and nationalism
  • Socially conservative, economically interventionist
  • Associated with post-Brexit electoral strategy

Other Factions

New Right Conservatives

  • Dominant since the 1980s (Thatcher era)
  • Combines neoliberalism and social conservatism

Neoliberal strand

  • Free markets, privatisation, deregulation
  • Low taxation and small state
  • Anti-trade union
  • Associated figure: Margaret Thatcher

Socially conservative strand

  • Traditional values, law and order
  • Tough stance on crime and immigration
  • National sovereignty

Thatcherites

  • Strong supporters of Margaret Thatcher’s ideology
  • Believe in rolling back the state
  • Individualism over collectivism
  • Eurosceptic
  • Strong Atlanticism (close US relations)

Eurosceptics

  • Oppose or are critical of European integration
  • Support national sovereignty
  • Ranged from soft to hard Euroscepticism
    • Key force behind Brexit
  • Influential groups include the European Research Group (ERG)

Traditional Conservatives

  • Support hierarchy, authority, and tradition
  • Strong emphasis on nation, monarchy, and church
  • Paternalistic view of society
  • Less ideological, more pragmatic

Libertarian Conservatives

  • Socially liberal but economically right-wing
  • Support free markets and personal freedoms
  • Less emphasis on traditional moral values
  • Sometimes clash with social conservatives