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Conservative Movement Profile: Conservative History Group

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Founded in 2002, the Conservative History Group is dedicated to promoting debate, knowledge, discussion, and understanding of the Conservative Party’s origins and history.  The Group hosts regular meeting featuring prominent Conservative speakers as well as publishes articles and a blog focused on Conservative figures. 

Recent meetings included Simon Heffer and Nicholas Hillman speaking on “Rivers of Blood: 40 Years On” and Fion Hague speaking on “Lloyd George and His Women” in the Thatcher Room of the Portcullis House.  In April, David Davis MP delivered “The Wilberforce Lecture” to the Group.

The Group also publishes the Conservative Home Journal, a bi-annual publication with articles, interviews, and book reviews on major and lesser well known Conservative figures.  Recent publications have included an Interview with John Charmley, an article by Helen Szamuely titled “What are we to make of Sir Edward Heath?” and an article by Scott Kelly titled “Guilty Men & the 1945 Election.”

To join the Conservative History Group and become a member, which comes with a subscription to the journal, simply send a cheque for £15 to:

Conservative History Group
PO Box 279
Tunbridge Wells
Kent TN2 4WJ

 A separate subscription to the Journal is 15 per annum, or the Journals can be ordered separately on their website. 

For more information, please see:

Home: http://www.conservativehistory.org.uk/index.html

Publications: http://www.conservativehistory.org.uk/publications.html

Membership: http://www.conservativehistory.org.uk/membership.html

Blog: www.conservativehistory.blogspot.com

YBF6: The Eric Forth Award

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Friday night at YBF6 will be the 3rd Annual Eric Forth Memorial Dinner and will see the awarding of the Eric Forth Award for Activism.

Eric Forth was one of the true characters of British politics. A House of Commons man to his core, Eric not only knew parliamentary procedure inside out but he knew how – and when- to use the rules to maximum advantage. Eric was a committed Thatcherite and an admirer of Ronald Reagan. As Chairman of Conservative Way Forward and an advisor and friend of The Young Britons’ Foundation, Eric championed limited government, traditional values, freedom and the Trans-Atlantic Special Relationship. A man of principle, determination and courage, Eric Forth knew how important it was to be an effective activist and advocate for radical change.

On Eric’s premature death in 2006, The Young Britons’ Foundation inaugurated an annual award to be given to the young conservative activist whose attitude, ethos and effectiveness best mirrors the values, beliefs and achievements of Eric – The Eric Forth Award for Activism.

The nominees are:

Emma Carr for setting up a dozen new CF branches and a think-tank in Labour’s North-East heartland.

Raheem Kassam who, with Oliver Cooper, has launched Keep Right Online and No Fourth, quickly achieving a wide readership and level of influence over young conservative politics.

Harry Cole for his work in developing Tory Bear, harnessing the power of the internet to devise online campaigns and for his work with the Sunlight Centre for Open Politics.

Amanda O’Brien and Clare Hilley for their innovative public speaking workshop for female activists which raised hundreds of pounds for Help for Heroes.

Sahar Rezazadeh for her work in building Birmingham University CF into one of the country’s largest, most active and most socially inclusive branches in the country.

Conservative Movement Profile: The Campaign Against Political Correctness

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campaign-against-political-correctnessThe Campaign Against Political Correctness is a web-based organization committed to revealing the irrational lengths to which the government goes in the name of political correctness. Citing such examples as the prohibition of children celebrating Christmas in school lest it offend another child, founders John and Laura Midgeley, started their London based non-partisan organization to combat the harms they saw inflicted on society in the name of political correctness and to promote a more reasonable approach to society.600px-No_Political_Correctness.svg

John and Laura Midgeley appear on tv shows and talk radio, such as as ITV’s This Morning and the BBC Radio to present their material. Their website also features an anti-PC petition to sign, and how to receive an info pack or become a member and support the campaign.

Links to top news stories of political correctness are filed under the headers of “Recent,” “Ridiculous,” and “Damaging” on their website, providing evidence of the irrational course of advocates of a politically correct society are taking Britain.

The website also provides links to books and literature on the origins, tenets, and flaws of political correctness as well as the famous “Politically Correct Scrapbooks.”

Conservative Movement Profile: The America’s Future Foundation

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The America’s Future Foundation is a D.C. based non-profit organization committed to identifying and training conservative and libertarian professionals in their 20’s and 30’s. Recognizing that the activism of young professionals is essential for the continuation of conservative and libertarian principles, the organization’s vision is to teach the principles of a free society and offer professional training for young professionals. Led by Executive Director David Kirby, the Foundation recently launched chapters in Chicago and Denver, expanding their influence beyond D.C. and further West.

AFF presents young professional with a wealth of policy, career, and cultural resources. The Foundation’s primary focus is to train effectual leaders to govern, publish, strategize, debate, and learn. In this goal it recognizes three theories of leadership that are integral to effective leadership development: experience, example, and knowledge.

To this end AFF hosts monthly Roundtable events on current political and cultural issues where young professionals can participate as panelists or audience members, both serving to educate as well as allow participants to gain experience in debate and have a little fun. The Foundation also holds monthly happy hour, social, and networking events. In June AFF was proud to host author Gene Healy as a happy hour speaker at Rocket Bar in Chinatown.

In light of the coming election, the Foundation has launched “AFF On the Road” which holds events in major campaign cities following the 2008 campaign trail. A recent pre-convention debate in Minneapolis, Minnesota hosted Jeff Larson, CEO of the Minneapolis St. Paul 2008 Host Committee for the 2008 Republican convention and author of “Elephant in the Room: Evangelicals, Libertarians and the Battle to Control the Republican Party”.

The Foundation also facilitates cultural events though AFF Underground which offers the best of D.C. happenings. AFF Underground encourages talent and provides cultural experience by organizing groups to attend theater, music, film, dance, and other events around the capital city going “beyond- or beneath- politics.” Participants recently saw “Avenue Q” and last summer AFF hosted a film screening for the American Film Renaissance Festival.

Beyond facilitating events, the Foundation’s website has a lot to offer such as articles, podcasts, links and resources for young professionals. The Job Board provides job listing in prestigious organizations such as the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Washington Legal Foundation.

For those interested in articles on politics, culture, books, arts, and science the Foundation publishes Doublethink. Doublethink features articles, podcasts, and links to blogs. Interested in writing? Doublethink also accepts pieces for publication, with instructions for submitting work given on the website.

For more information, please see:

Home: http://www.americasfuture.org/index.php

Events: http://www.americasfuture.org/room101/

Networking Events: http://www.americasfuture.org/events-archive/affarch-hh.php

On the Road: http://www.americasfuture.org/events-archive/affarch-hh.php

Conservative Movement Profile: The American Enterprise Institute

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The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI) is one of the most influential conservative and neo-conservative think-tanks in Washington D.C. Founded in 1943 and gaining reputation in the 1970’s and 80’s, the Institute emerged to prominence with a clear vision for advancing the principles of free enterprise capitalism, limited government, private enterprise, and individual responsibility.

Once praised by President Ronald Reagan who said “[no think tank] has been more influential than the American Enterprise Institute,” today AEI is led by President Christopher DeMuth as a private, non-partisan, and not-for-profit organization. The Institute’s impressive list of fellows include notable and influential political figures John Bolton, Lynne Cheney, Newt Gingrich, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Frederick W. Kagan, Michael Novak, Paul Wolfowitz, and Leon D. Kass.

AEI is located in Washington, DC with a staff of 190 resident and visiting scholars and fellows, research and administrative assistants, editorial and conference staff and others. The Institute publishes the research of its resident and visiting scholars in short publications, monographs, and books from its AEI Press. Beyond written publications, the Institute also hosts events such as book forums and panel discussions that are open to the public and often daily or week.

Recent events include “Can Consumers Save Medicare,” “From Brown to ‘Bong Hits’: Assesssing Half a Century of Judicial Involvement in Education” and Session Eight of the series “AEI Election Watch 2008.”

Beyond in-house events and speakers, the Institute provides a broad and deep amount of research accessible on their website. Short publications include papers, speeches, co-ops, newsletters, and government testimony on all research topics including government, economics, social welfare, and politics. Also offered are podcasts, webcasts, and video and transcripts of conferences and events.

Students looking for internships should be aware of AEI’s competitive, highly selective, but very rewarding internship program. Rated by the Princeton Review, Random House Guide to Internships, and Vault Guide to Internships as one of the top 100 internships in America, the program places students with renowned scholars, economists, and policy figures to gain experience in areas of policy, research, and publishing.

For more information, please see:

Home: http://www.aei.org/default.asp?filter=all

Events: http://www.aei.org/events/filter.all/events.asp

Short Publications: http://www.aei.org/publications/filter.all/pub_listing.asp

Conservative Movement Profile: The Africa Research Institute

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The Africa Research Institute was founded in 2007 under the leadership of Director Mark Ashurst, a journalist with broad experience in Africa. A registered charity based in London, the ARI was founded on a grant from Richard Smith, and industrialist with an interest in the “land of energy and optimism,” he sees in Africa. He continues to lead the ARI as a trustee, along with Howard Flight, a previous Member of Parliament and Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Noting a lack of understanding of both the continent of Africa and African public policy among Western nations, the trustees adopted a mission committed to finding solutions of “creativity and pragmatism” for African problems, while avoiding the outsider Victorian-era philanthropy that has marked so many charitable approaches. Rather, the Institute strives to find new ways of thinking and create innovative solutions to Africa’s economic issues.

In order to achieve this goal, the Institute actively analyzes and reports on current policy. It recently published a study on Malawi’s voucher based input subsidy program titled “How Fertilizer Subsidies are Working in Malawi” in March of this year. By analyzing areas of improvement and comparing Malawi’s program to international developments, the piece seeks to formulate and recommend stronger and more effective policy be put in place in Malawi.

Website: http://www.africaresearchinstitute.org/.
Address: 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA