A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject.(June 2020) |
Conservative Women's Organisation | |
---|---|
Full name | Conservative Women's Organisation |
Short name | CWO |
President | Eve Burt MBE |
Chairman | Pamela Hall OBE |
Deputy | Rushi Millns |
Deputy | Neeti Gupta |
Deputy | Aphra Brandreth |
Founded | 1919 |
Headquarters | Conservative Campaign HQ 4 Matthew Parker Street,London, SW1H 9HQ ,England |
Groups | CWO Forums CWO Development Conservative Young Women |
Ideology | Conservatism (British) British unionism |
Political position | Centre-right to right-wing |
National affiliation | Conservative Party |
European affiliation | European Union of Women [1] |
International affiliation | International Women's Democrat Union |
Website | |
conservativewomen |
The Conservative Women's Organisation (CWO) represents the female members of the Conservative Party in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The Scottish Conservative Women's Council is the autonomous sister organisation of the CWO in Scotland. The Chairman of the British Section of the European Union of Women also sits on the CWO National Executive.
The youth wing of Conservative Women's Organisation is called Conservative Young Women.
As with all political parties, membership has declined and the CWO had about 5,000 active members in 2012 (although all the women members of the party are actually members). Attendance at the CWO Annual Conference has been between 300 and 750 in the past five years.
It also sends delegates to the National Conservative Convention, the parliament of the party's voluntary wing (Voluntary Party).
The National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations' Central Women's Advisory Committee (CWAC) was formed in 1908 and officially founded in 1919, although not affiliated to the Conservative Party until 1928. Its roots go back to the Grand Ladies Council of the Primrose League of 1885. It changed its name to the Women's National Advisory Committee (WNAC) in 1951 and again to the Conservative Women's National Committee (CWNC) in April 1982. [2] It changed to its current title in April 2007.
In the latter half of the 20th century, the CWO had more than a quarter of a million members and became the largest women's political organisation in the Western world. For several decades, the women's organisation's annual conference was regularly held in the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The CWO celebrated its centenary in 2019 at its conference at Methodist Hall in London on 9 March 2019. The organisation created a supplementary centenary logo, which includes a primrose, in reference to its roots in the Primrose League – and uses the suffragette colours of purple, white and green.
According to its website, the CWO is:
Conservative Women's Organisation | |
---|---|
National Chairman | |
Assumed office March 2022 | |
Incumbent | Pamela Hall |
Preceded by | Fleur Butler |
Website | Official webpage |
The CWO Executive Committee has responsibility for the overall management of the organisation and is composed of:
The national officers for 2022/3 [3] are:
Position | Name | Since |
---|---|---|
National President | Eve Burt | 2022 |
National Chairman | Pamela Hall | 2022 |
National Deputy Chairman | Susan Coleman | 2023 |
National Deputy Chairman | Neeti Gupta | 2022 |
National Deputy Chairman | Aphra Brandreth | 2022 |
National Treasurer | Janet Parrott | 2022 |
Each of the 12 regions are broken into Areas (roughly by county),with each having their own Area Chairman with responsibility to the Regional Chairmen. An affiliated (or recognised) Conservative Association women's group,known as Association CWOs or Conservative Women's Constituency Committees (CWCCs).
The organisation is officially affiliated to the Conservative Party. Its last constitution was ratified by the CWO AGM in March 2007 and ratified by the Party Board on 7 April 2007. A revised constitution was ratified by the CWO AGM on 29 March 2014 and ratified by the Party Board on 28 April 2014.
National and Regional elections take place at Annual General Meetings before 30 April each year.
Although the organisation primarily represents the views of the women grassroots members of the Conservative Party,it is also involved in policy and research,which particularly affect women in the UK. It does this primarily through its CWO Forums –panel based discussion meetings that are generally held in the Palace of Westminster and which are open to men and women,and to people from all political persuasions. [4]
Subjects covered in the last five years [4] include:
Set up by the then chairman,Pauline Lucas,in 2010,the development programme mentors and develops women to stand for public office at all levels. [6] Workshops are usually held at the Conservative Campaign Headquarters in London but sponsored Be a Councillor days are held around the UK. Workshops cover communication,interviews,applications,campaigns and finance,together with other "transferable skills". In July 2013,the CWO announced a new workshop as an introduction for women to apply for Public Appointments and Non-Executive Director roles.
The first recorded Conservative Women's Conference was in 1921 and holding an annual conference is part of its constitution. For several decades,the women's organisation's annual conference was regularly held in the Royal Albert Hall.
Years [7] | Chair |
---|---|
1919-1921 | Lady Fitzalan [Lady Edmund Talbot,formerly Lady Mary Bertie] |
1921-1925 | Mrs W. Bridgeman [Caroline Bridgeman,The Viscountess Bridgeman DBE] |
1925-1928 | Viscountess Elveden |
1928-1932 | Countess of Iveagh |
1933-1935 | Dame Regina Evans |
1935-1938 | Lady Hillingdon |
1938-1942 | Mrs Marian Whitehead |
1942-1945 | Mrs Hornyold-Strickland |
1945-1948 | Dame Lucile Sayers [Elsewhere listed as Mrs Lorne Sayers] |
1948-1951 | Mrs Anne Warde |
1951-1954 | Evelyn Emmet,Baroness Emmet of Amberley [Otherwise described as Mrs TA Emmet] |
1954-1957 | Katharine Elliot,The Baroness Elliot of Harwood DBE [otherwise described as Mrs Walter Elliot] |
1957-1960 | Lady Mary Graham |
1960-1963 | Dame Margaret Shepherd [Otherwise described as Peggy Shepherd] |
1963-1966 | Mrs CJA Doughty [later,Dame Adelaide Doughty] |
1966-1969 | Dame Unity Lister |
1969-1972 | Dame Margot Smith [Otherwise described as Mrs Roy Smith] |
1972-1975 | Dame Shelagh Roberts |
1975-1978 | Dame Ann Springman [listed as Margaret Springham in the Times] |
1978-1981 | Dame Pamela Hunter [Otherwise described as Mrs Gordon Hunter] |
1981-1984 | Joan Seccombe,The Baroness Seccombe DBE |
1984-1987 | Dame Margaret Fry |
1987-1990 | Dame Wendy Mitchell |
1990-1993 | Mrs Hazel Byford,The Baroness Byford DBE |
1993-1996 | Dame Joyce Annelay,The Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE |
1996-1999 | Mrs Caroline Abel-Smith OBE |
1999-2002 | Mrs Marney Swan OBE |
2002-2005 | Mrs Pamela Parker |
2005-2008 | Lady Fiona Hodgson,The Baroness Hodgson of Abinger CBE |
2008-2011 | Mrs Pauline Lucas MBE |
2011-2012 | Ms Niki Molnar MBE |
Mar-Nov 2012 | Mrs Katy Bourne |
2013-2016 | Ms Niki Molnar MBE |
2016-2019 | Mrs Julie Iles OBE |
2019-2022 | Mrs Fleur Butler |
2022- | Ms Pamela Hall OBE |
The Conservative Monday Club is a British political pressure group,aligned with the Conservative Party,though no longer endorsed by it. It also has links to the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) in Northern Ireland.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) is the governing body of the UK Labour Party,setting the overall strategic direction of the party and policy development. Its composition has changed over the years,and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions,the Parliamentary Labour Party,constituency Labour parties (CLP),and socialist societies,as well as ex officio members such as the party Leader and Deputy Leader and several of their appointees.
The Chairman of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom is responsible for party administration and overseeing the Conservative Campaign Headquarters,formerly Conservative Central Office.
The National Conservative Convention (NCC),is the most senior body of the Conservative Party's voluntary wing. The National Convention effectively serves as the Party's internal Parliament,and is made up of its 800 highest-ranking Party Officers.
Labour Students is a student organisation within the Labour Party of the United Kingdom. It is a network of affiliated college and university clubs,known as Labour Clubs,who campaign in their campuses and communities for Labour's values of equality and social justice.
Conservative Future (CF) was the youth movement of the Conservative Party in England,Wales,and Northern Ireland. The organisation was made up of all members of the Conservative Party who were 30 years old or younger.
Young Liberals is the youth and student organisation of the British Liberal Democrats. Membership is automatic for members of the Liberal Democrats aged under 30. It organises a number of fringe events at the Liberal Democrat Conference,which is held twice each year.
The Federation of Conservative Students (FCS) was the student organisation of the British Conservative Party from the late 1940s to 1986. It was created to act as a bridge between the student movement and the Conservative Party. It produced several magazines,and had regular Assembly meetings in which motions would be voted on. It had supported some controversial actions,such as the legalisation of various drugs,and the privatisation of the Trident nuclear missiles. There was continual tension between central party,which funded the organisation,and the Federation –which often used the funds on exploring unconventional policies.
The Young Conservatives (YC) is the youth wing of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom for members aged 25 and under. The organisation shares the same values and policies as its parent political party with branches being an integrated part of local associations. College and university branches are not included,but run independently.
The Primrose League was an organisation for spreading Conservative principles in Great Britain. It was founded in 1883.
The Young Fabians is the under age 31 section of the Fabian Society,a socialist society in the United Kingdom that is affiliated with the Labour Party (UK). The Young Fabians operate as a membership-driven think tank that organises policy debates,research projects,publications,conferences,and international delegations. The organisation holds no collective position on policy.
LGBT+ Labour,the Labour Campaign for Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual and Transgender Rights,is a socialist society related to the Labour Party in the United Kingdom. Originally called the Gay Labour Group,the purpose of this organisation is to campaign within the Labour Party and wider Labour movement to promote the rights of lesbian,gay,bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people,and to encourage members of the LGBT community to support the Labour Party.
The Conservative Party Archive (CPA) is the official place of deposit for the historic records of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom. Based at the Bodleian Library in Oxford,England,it was established as a centre for people.
The World Assembly of Youth is the international coordinating body of national youth councils and national youth organisations. The full members of WAY are national youth councils. WAY currently has 140 member organisations from all continents. As the international coordinating body of national youth councils,WAY has special consultative status with the United Nations,the highest status possible for a non-governmental organization. WAY co-operates with the UN and many of its special agencies,particularly with UNAIDS,UNEP,ILO,UNESCO,UNFPA,UNICEF,UNDP,UNCTAD and WHO.
The British and Irish Association of Law Librarians is a professional body which represents information professionals working with legal information. BIALL is a self-supporting association which draws its income primarily from membership subscriptions.
National Union of Students Wales is the Welsh section of the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom. NUS Wales,alongside its constituent students' unions represents students in higher and further education in Wales. With over a quarter of a million student members it is the largest democratic organisation in Wales.
A constituency Labour Party (CLP) is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular parliamentary constituency.
Andy Briggs MBE is a British businessman and chief executive of Phoenix Group. He previously served as the Aviva Chief Executive Officer UK Insurance and Global Life and Health as well as the Government Business Champion for Older Workers and NSPCC trustee.
Fleur Josephine Butler is an English Conservative politician and novelist. A former member of the Congress of the Council of Europe and leader of Richmondshire District Council,she is president of the National Conservative Convention and a past chairman of the Conservative Women's Organisation.