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The Cambridge University Conservative Association
CUCA Crest
CUCA Crest
Founded 1921
Home Page www.cuca.org.uk

Senior Officers of the association

President The Rt Hon. The Lord Howard of Lympne QC, PC, Peterhouse
Vice President The Rt Hon. Andrew Mitchell, MP, Jesus College
Senior Treasurer Dr. Nigel Allington, Downing College

Officers of the association, Easter Term 2011

Chairman Christopher G. Poel, Queens' College
Vice-Chairman Matthew S. Johnson, Queens' College
Junior Treasurer Nicholas J. Crawford, Gonville and Caius College
Campaigns Officer James M. Wakeley, Clare College
Secretary Robert E. Thomas, Trinity College
Registrar Miss Sophie C. Price, Peterhouse

Committee of the association, Easter 2011

Committee M. Goode, Gonville and Caius College
Committee J. C. Menage, Selwyn College
Committee Miss R. L. E. Harrison, Gonville and Caius College
Committee T. J. Mottram, Selwyn College
Committee J. R. Messent, Gonville and Caius College
Committee J. Minchin, St John's College
Committee Miss S. J. N. Burlton, New Hall
Committee E. J. A. Turnham, Christ's

Former Chairmen in Residence

Ex-Officio (Former Chairman) Mike J. Morley, MSci, MA, Trinity College
Ex-Officio (Former Chairman) Gavin A. Rice, BA Queens' College
Ex-Officio (Former Chairman) John M. Oxley, Gonville and Caius College
Ex-Officio (Former Chairman) R. Fergus McGhee, Trinity College
Ex-Officio (Former Chairman) Callum P. Wood, Queens' College

The Cambridge University Conservative Association (CUCA) is a long-established political society going back to 1921, with roots in the late nineteenth century, as a Conservative branch for students at Cambridge University in England. It is looked upon by the Conservative Party as a training-ground for future Conservative politicians.

History and activities

The earliest incarnation of the Cambridge University Conservative Association was established in 1882, but lasted only a few months before dissolving.[1] By 1884, it was necessary for Cambridge Conservatives to launch a new group - the Cambridge University Carlton Club.[2] This served primarily as a dining society, and existed for the next twenty years. However, shortly after the Conservative government's landslide defeat in the 1906 general election, the CU Carlton Club dissolved, just as its predecessor had. There was no Conservative student organisation in Cambridge for the remainder of the Edwardian period, and the First World War saw party political activity suspended.

The present-day Cambridge University Conservative Association was founded in 1921, with its inaugural annual dinner held on 24 January of that year.[3] In 1928, the annual St. John's College magazine The Eagle defined "a Cambridge Conservative [association member as] the proud possessor of a certain tie, obtained by signifying with a subscription his refusal or his inability to think out any social question."[4]

CUCA holds regular speaker meetings with Conservative politicians and thinkers, as well as campaigning for the Conservatives in elections and holding policy discussions. It also focuses on the social agenda for Conservative sympathisers in Cambridge, hosting assorted social events and parties, such as the termly Chairman's Dinner. High turnouts at events, especially the popular Port Parties and Chairman's Dinners, point to an interested and active society membership.

The Association has long been intimately connected with the Cambridge Union debating society, with a heavy overlap of simultaneous officeholders in the two societies, one recent Chairman even holding the post at the same time as that of Union President, sparking frequent charges of endemic and undesirable involvement between the two. CUCA counters that many Union activists are not CUCA members and that CUCA is the only society to encourage activists to get involved in the Union as a political forum.

CUCA is reputed to have reached the apex of its influence in the early 1960s, with the so-called 'Cambridge Mafia' of activists, many of whom went on to cabinet careers in the Thatcher and Major governments.

CUCA controversies

1938: Pro-Appeasement

CUCA has not been without controversy over the years. In 1938, CUCA hosted Sir Samuel Hoare as he gave a vigorous defence of Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement towards Hitler at Munich, calling it "a great achievement" and "the height of exaltation".[5]

1956: Support for Suez invasion

In reporting and listing widespread student protests across Britain against the invasion of Suez in 1956, The Times noted one exception: "Cambridge University Conservative Association sent telegrams of support to the Prime Minister (Sir Anthony Eden) and Foreign Secretary (Selwyn Lloyd)." [6]

1960-1: Visits by Oswald Mosley

In 1961, Conservative leader-to-be Michael Howard resigned in protest at Kenneth Clarke's decision to invite former British Union of Fascists leader Oswald Mosley to speak to the association for the second year running.[7] (The previous year's speech by Mosley had been marred by a heckler throwing jelly at Sir Oswald.) [8]

1971: Reginald Maudling visit

CUCA was banned from booking a speaker meeting with Home Secretary Reginald Maudling at the University Arms Hotel in January 1971 because of the likely demonstrations that were feared.[9]

1985-6: Visits by Enoch Powell

A visit by Enoch Powell in March 1985 provoked resignations on CUCA's committee,[10] and when Powell returned in December 1986, he was heckled by non-Conservative students.[11] CUCA had also come under criticism for Powell's 1985 appearance in the New Statesman, which argued that Powell's extreme views were indicative of CUCA's alleged authoritarianism, and the paper asserting the (short-lived) "Cambridge University Monday Club form part of an unholy alliance with elements of the Left and the now-discredited Cambridge University Conservative Association, who are united in their fervent, even violent opposition to libertarians. Perhaps it is this bizarre grouping which deserves investigation."[12] In October 1968, a previous visit by Enoch Powell just five months after his "Rivers of Blood" speech, during the CUCA Chairmanship of Howard Flight, saw mass protests in Cambridge, and was reported by The Times.[13]

1965-2000: Allegations of electoral malpractice

The society has, in the past, occasionally hit the headlines of local and national papers over electoral disputes and allegations of malpractice. In 1965,The Times reported that CUCA's Secretary was forced to resign after a four and a half hour meeting deemed some of his election methods to have been forbidden.[14] In 1985, The Times reported that eight committee members of CUCA had "resigned after allegations of electoral irregularities", with one committee member having a tape recording which he claimed proved the allegations.[15] In early 1998, Varsity published a story alleging that "weeks of bitter in-fighting culminated in allegations of election-rigging and a move to censure the society's most senior members".[16] However, Varsity noted that the subsequent motions of censure themselves had no reasons formally attached to them by their proposers and that some of those who had signed them were unaware of why they were supporting them other than on the word of one of the factions involved.[16] Indeed, Varsity articles on CUCA elections subsequently themselves came under fire. Following an Easter 2000 article, "Conservatives in Corruption Crisis", which claimed to be based on a taped telephone conversation and accused the then-Chairman of 'vote-buying',[17] the paper was forced to print a front-page "Rectification" and apology, after threats of legal action.[18]

2009: Freshers' guide controversy

In October 2009, CUCA was "ridiculed for being elitist" by the Cambridge Universities Labour Club in the Cambridge student press after distributing a freshers' guide offering tips on where to find cheap champagne and a guide to formal wear. The story was reported in the Daily Mail.[19][20]

2010: Snub by Matthew Parris

In January 2010, former Conservative MP and journalist Matthew Parris admitted that on arriving at Cambridge in 1969 he had joined the Liberals as"I couldn't bring myself to join the CU Conservative Association because they were such braying, cravat-wearing, port-gargling, social-networking prats."[21] This prompted a letter to The Times signed by CUCA's registrar who asserted that "at any one meeting of CU Conservative Association, only one person should ever wear a cravat to avoid ostentation."[22] Parris had previously described CUCA in his 2002 autobiography as "a dreadful shower, strutting careerists of distinctly mixed calibre, forever infighting, networking and elbowing their way through a scene which appeared more social than political."[23]

2011: Accusation of Homophobia

It was reported in April 2011 that CUCA's immediate former Chairman referred to homosexuality as "wrong" in an facebook comment, with a screenshot of the comment being reproduced. The Chairman of Labour Club described the comment as being in "poor taste". When contacted by the The Tab the Chairman refused to apologise, distancing himself from CUCA as he had stood down as Chairman a few weeks earlier, and commenting, "I am quite sure that CUCA is not insitutionally homophobic, given the inclinations of a sizeable proportion of its members." and going on to elaborate "I don’t really have a position on gay rights/issues because I don’t particularly sign up to the notions of either “gay” or of “rights”. Forcing people to identify themselves as an “homosexual” (noun) is actually rather insulting to the dignity of human life. It’s much more a a case of “to do” rather than a “to be”. Those with homosexual tendencies have a very burdensome cross to bear and they must be treated with compassion. However, I still believe that lustful and unchaste sexual behaviour (of any kind) is without moral justification. This clearly means that I disapprove of sodomy."[24]

2011: Eric Pickles

There was a protest outside the Cambridge Union building at the presence of Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Local Government who was addressing a joint meeting of CUCA and the Union. Up to fifteen protesters broke into the Union and were forcibly ejected. After this they proceeded to make loud noises and bang on windows in order to prevent the Minister from being heard.[25][26][27]

General press comments on CUCA

In 1980, Private Eye profiled Conservative MP (and CUCA alumnus) Timothy Eggar, describing him as, "one of those unpleasant political operators that Cambridge University Conservative Association alone knows how to breed."[28] In 1992 The Economist wrote that "competition to rise to the top of CUCA is good preparation for a political career in the Conservative Party, for several reasons. Ideology counts for nothing. What matters is knowing how to make friends and when to stab them in the back. If you cut your political teeth at CUCA, you are liable to end up sporting a sharp set of fangs."[29] In November 1998, it was noted in Varsity that outgoing Chairmen of CUCA were awarded a pair of silver cufflinks (though this is no longer the case), and it was alleged by a committee member that "Several of the last Chairmen only served their terms of office so that they could get the cufflinks."[30] In 2001, Johann Hari wrote in the New Statesman that CUCA was "a laughing stock", and that the practice of 'vote-buying' (paying for the membership fee of several dozen friends, in the expectation of their voting for you when you run for office) was widespread, and that "One former member estimates that leadership of the association sets candidates back roughly £200-£300 in "favours"."[31] In 2005 The Daily Telegraph described "a classic CUCA manoeuvre" as being "secretive, conspiratorial, overcomplicated, probably calculated to benefit some chum or other, so clever that it is stupid."[32]

Alumni

As a long-standing and well-connected society, CUCA has produced such notable alumni as:

Recent CUCA chairmen

Main article: Former chairmen of Cambridge University Conservative Association

Following constitutional changes passed in Lent 2009 (The "James Sharpe" Amendment), the Vice-Chairman automatically becomes Chairman in the term following their Vice-Chairmanship.[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post (Bristol, England), Monday, May 15, 1882; Issue 10608
  2. ^ Daily News (London, England), Thursday, May 8, 1884; Issue 11878
  3. ^ The Times, Tuesday, Jan 25, 1921; page 10; Issue 42627; col B
  4. ^ T.E.B. Howarth, Cambridge Between Two Wars (Collins, London, 1978) p.152
  5. ^ The Times, Friday, Nov 25, 1938; pg. 9; Issue 48161; col A
  6. ^ The Times, Saturday, Nov 03, 1956; pg. 4; Issue 53679; col E
  7. ^ Andrew Anthony (2005-03-27). "Howard's way | Politics | The Observer". London: Observer.guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  8. ^ The Times, Monday, Apr 25, 1960; pg. 7; Issue 54754; col C
  9. ^ The Times, Thursday, Jan 28, 1971; pg. 4; Issue 58084; col C
  10. ^ The Times, Monday, Mar 11, 1985; pg. 2; Issue 62081; col F
  11. ^ Patrick Cosgrave, The Lives of Enoch Powell (Bodley Head, London, 1989), page 13
  12. ^ The New Statesman, Volume 109, page 25 (1985)
  13. ^ The Times, Tuesday, Oct 08, 1968; pg. 3; Issue 57376; col A
  14. ^ The Times, Friday, Dec 03, 1965; pg. 6; Issue 56495; col F
  15. ^ The Times, Monday, Feb 04, 1985; pg. 2; Issue 62053; col H
  16. ^ a b http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:oR-4eKRJDvwJ:www.varsity.cam.ac.uk/VarsityOnline/Online2/Content/News/Stories/190299_cuca.html+cuca+%22cambridge+university+conservative+association%22&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=60&client=firefox-a Varsity, Feb 19, 1999
  17. ^ http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:dm4J8zMtr2EJ:www.varsity.cam.ac.uk/802567B80049EF7D/Pages/552000_ConservativeCorruptionControversy.html+cuca+suella+fernandes&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a
  18. ^ 'Rectification', Varsity, Issue 523, 12 May 2000, page 1
  19. ^ "'Save water, drink champagne': Tory student guide for Cambridge freshers ridiculed for being elitist". Daily Mail. London. 2009-10-09.
  20. ^ http://www.cuca.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/BBFG.pdf
  21. ^ Parris, Matthew (2010-01-14). "Invicta what a terrible choice of poem". The Times. London.
  22. ^ "Association rules". The Times. London. 2010-01-18.
  23. ^ Matthew Parris, Chance Witness: An Outsider's Life in Politics (Viking, London, 2002) p.112
  24. ^ http://cambridgetab.co.uk/news/cuca-chief-accused-of-homophobia Retrieved on 19 April 2011.
  25. ^ http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/issue/news/breaking-news-outrage-over-student-protest-at-cambridge-union-%E2%80%93-union-security-staff-%E2%80%9Cout-of-control%E2%80%9D/
  26. ^ http://cambridgetab.co.uk/news/what-a-pickle
  27. ^ http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Pickles-protesters-storm-Union-building-24052011.htm
  28. ^ Private Eye, No. 472, 18 January 1980, p.5 (1980)
  29. ^ "The Good Network Guide: Being One of Us; Social Networks; Directory". Doon Online. 1992-12-26. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  30. ^ Varsity, 19 November 1998, p.9
  31. ^ "I have seen the future, and it's lousy". New Statesman. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  32. ^ Moore, Charles (2005-05-07). "In place of Tory progress, Howard will bring strife". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  33. ^ "Results of the Special General Meeting, 15/2 « Cambridge University Conservative Association". Cuca.org.uk. 2009-02-16. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
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