1922 Committee

UK Conservative parliamentary group August 2022 June 2017 1922 Committee 1923 04 Chairman Bob BlackmanConservatives choose new 1922 Committee chair in key step towards next leadership battle https://news.sky.com/story/conservatives-choose-new-1922-committee-chair-in-key-step-towards-next-leadership-battle-13175638 20 April 2026 Sky News en 9 July 2024 Baker Tim Palace of Westminster, London, United Kingdom The 1922 Committee, formally known as the Conservative Private Members' Committee,https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/1922-committee-members-theresa-may-brexit-conservative-party-backbench-212736 What is the 1922 Committee, who's its chairman Sir Graham Brady and how is it involved in the no confidence vote? Chaplain Chloe 8 April 2019 The i Paper 20 April 2026 live or informally as the 22,The 1922 Committee (the 22) https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/1922-committee-the-22/ UK Parliament: Glossary 9 July 2024 is a parliamentary group of the Conservative Party in the British House of Commons. The committee, consisting of all Conservative backbench Members of Parliament (MPs), meets weekly while Parliament is in session and provides a way for backbenchers to co-ordinate and discuss their views independently of frontbenchers. Its executive membership and officers are by consensus limited to backbench MPs; however, since 2010, frontbench Conservative MPs have an open invitation to attend meetings. The committee can also play an important role in choosing the party leader. The group was formed in 1923 by MPs who were elected in 1922, and became more influential after 1940. The committee, collectively, represents the views of the Conservative Party parliamentary rank and file to the party leader, who is usually also the Prime Minister or leader of the Opposition. Whips are present but their role is limited to announcing future business and reporting questions and complaints to the chief whip. Due to the number of members, the group traditionally meets in Committee Room 14, the largest committee room in the Houses of Parliament.Eaton George 2017-10-11 The 1922 Committee: how the Tories' men in grey suits wield power https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2017/10/1922-committee-how-tories-men-grey-suits-wield-power 2023-05-25 The New Statesman en George Eaton (journalist) Committee constitutional matters The 1922 Committee has an 18-member executive committee, whose members are elected by all Conservative MPs except those who are members of the Government, i.e. the electorate comprises all "backbench" Conservative MPs. Candidates need to be nominated by two Conservative colleagues, and it is a first-past-the-post voting system, meaning the person with the most votes in each category wins. The committee oversees the election of party leaders, or any Conservative party-led vote of confidence in a current leader. Such a vote can be triggered by 15% of Conservative MPs (currently 19 MPs out of the 121 sitting Conservative MPs 2024 07 y) writing a letter to the chairman of the committee asking for such a vote. This process was used most recently on 6 June 2022, against Boris Johnson.Walker Peter Boris Johnson to face no confidence vote today as scores of Tory MPs call on him to go https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/06/boris-johnson-face-confidence-vote-scores-tory-mps-call-on-him-to-go 6 June 2022 The Guardian 6 June 2022 The last time a leader lost such a vote was on 29 October 2003, when Iain Duncan Smith was defeated by 90 to 75.29 October 2003 Tory leader ousted http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3225127.stm 20 April 2026 BBC News However both May and Johnson chose to resign within a year of their confidence votes. + List of votes of confidence Date Leader Votes Confidence No confidence29 October 2003Iain Duncan Smith759012 December 2018Theresa May2001176 June 2022Boris Johnson211148 History The name does not, as is sometimes wrongly supposed, stem from the 19 October 1922 Carlton Club meeting, in which Conservative MPs successfully demanded that the party withdraw from the coalition government of David Lloyd George, and which triggered the 1922 general election. The committee was formed following the election, in April 1923.https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN01366/SN01366.pdf Leadership elections: Conservative Party Johnston Neil 24 May 2019 House of Commons Library 24 May 2019 16 Briefing Paper Number 01366 Harris Robin Robin Harris (author) The Conservatives – A History Corgi 978-0-55217033-8 265 2013 The MPs who founded the committee were not the same as those who had taken the decision to end the 1916–1922 coalition government. It began as a small dining group of new members elected in 1922. The committee soon developed into a ginger group of active backbenchers.John Ramsden 1998 An Appetite for Power: A History of the Conservative Party since 1830 0-00-255686-3 287 HarperCollins After the 1923 and 1924 elections, the membership expanded as more new Conservative MPs were elected, and in 1926 all backbench MPs were invited to become members. It became known as the Conservative Private Members' Committee. Consequently, it became a platform for the majority rather than a focus for discontent."1922 Committee", "Political Notes", The Times, 22 December 1926, p. 12.22 December 1926 1922 Committee, Political Notes The Times 12 In 1990, the committee participated in the ousting of Margaret Thatcher. The term "men in grey suits", meaning a delegation of Conservative MPs who tell a party leader that it is time for them to step down without forcing an open challenge, is often used in reference to members of the 1922 Committee.Borthwick R. L. Burch Martin Giddings Philip Churchill to Major: the British prime ministership since 1945 Prime Ministers and their Parties https://books.google.com/books?id=YLgYDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT154 Routledge 2015 978-1-315-48151-7 959427862 154–55 Philip GiddingsBrogan Benedict Sylvester Rachel Jones George Duncan Smith loses backing of the 'men in grey suits' https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1444380/Duncan-Smith-loses-backing-of-the-men-in-grey-suits.html The Daily Telegraph 17 October 2003 24 May 2019 Rachel Sylvester George Jones (British journalist) Benedict BroganBrant Robin 1922 committee and Tory MPs' contact details https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31859094 BBC News 12 March 2015 24 May 2019Rawnsley Andrew Dead man talking https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/oct/12/conservatives.conservatives2003 The Observer 12 October 2003 24 May 2019 Andrew Rawnsley On 19 May 2010, shortly after the Conservatives had formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, Prime Minister David Cameron suggested altering the committee to involve frontbench ministers in the recommendation forming process, angering some backbench MPs.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8693078.stm Cameron angers MPs with bid to change 1922 Committee 19 May 2010 BBC News 19 May 2010 On 20 May 2010, committee members voted to approve the change, with 168 votes in favour and 118 against. Many backbench party members criticised the move and voted against it, while ministers had argued such a change would be necessary to continue operating coherently as a party during its membership of a coalition government.1922 Committee: David Cameron wins vote on rule change 20 May 2010 https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8693078.stm 20 May 2010 BBC News Following the election of Graham Brady as chairman the following week, it was clarified that although frontbenchers became eligible to attend meetings of the committee, only backbenchers would be able to vote for its officers and executive committee.26 May 2010 Brady elected as Tories' 1922 Committee chairman http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8706572.stm 20 April 2026 BBC News On 7 March 2023, Brady announced that he would not seek re-election at the 2024 general election.Sir Graham Brady to stand down as Altrincham & Sale West MP at next election https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2023-03-07/sir-graham-brady-to-stand-down-as-mp-at-the-next-election 10 July 2024 ITV 7 March 2023 The Committee was left with two remaining members after the general election, who were the only two Conservative Party MPs to stand. They were Bob Blackman, the MP for Harrow East, who increased his majority in the election despite a national Labour landslide,Gibbons Amy 2024-07-08 1922 Committee chairman to be chosen as Tories prepare for leadership race https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/07/08/chairman-1922-committee-leadership-race-conservative-party/ 2024-07-09 The Telegraph en-GB 0307-1235 and Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the MP for the newly formed constituency of North Cotswolds, who has been an MP since 1992.2022-12-05 MP considers standing for North Cotswolds in boundary shake-up https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-63858410 2024-07-09 BBC News en-GB Blackman won the contest by a 61 votes to 37 with 98 votes cast. The 2024 committee election The latest election for the Chair of the 1922 Committee was held on July 9, 2024. The former chair, Graham Brady, had stood down as an MP in the 2024 general election, creating a vacancy. Bob Blackman and Geoffrey Clifton-Brown stood as candidates, with Blackman winning the election with 61 out of 121 possible votes. Media reports showed that several members were unable to vote, due to a misunderstanding of the closing time of the vote. This included senior Conservatives such as Mark Francois, Jeremy Hunt and Edward Leigh. In total, only 98 out of 121 MPs turned out (81%). However, with Blackman winning an absolute majority of Conservative MPs, the remaining 23 MPs would not have affected the outcome.Veteran Tory MP Bob Blackman elected chair of 1922 committee https://www.ft.com/content/14aa527b-7c44-48cd-8ee3-0a5767affebb 2024-07-10 Financial Times Uddin Rafe 9 July 2024 The results of the election were as follows: Election of chair of the 1922 committee Bob Blackman61 121 Conservative Party (UK) 125px 1 Geoffrey Clifton-Brown37 121 Conservative Party (UK) 125px 1 Following the vote for the Chair, there were subsequent votes to elect the 1922 Executive board. One MP with nominations was left off the ballot paper, leading to calls to re-run the vote.2024-07-11 He shoots, he scores https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/starmer-cant-get-enough-of-the-euros/ 2024-07-11 POLITICO en Blewett Sam Dawson Bethany Executive committee July 2024 Since 2024 Chairman: Bob Blackman2024-07-10 London Playbook PM: Sliding doors moment https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/london-playbook-pm-sliding-doors-moment/ 2024-07-11 POLITICO en Casalicchio Emilio Vice-Chairman: Martin Vickers Treasurer: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown Executive members: Harriett Baldwin Sarah Bool Mark Garnier Bernard Jenkin Alan Mak Jack Rankin Andrew Rosindell Alec Shelbrooke Gregory Stafford John Whittingdale Until 2024 As of 11 July 2022, the executive committee comprised:11 July 2022 Tory leadership: Sajid Javid says he 'perhaps' should have resigned from Boris Johnson's cabinet earlier – live https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2022/jul/11/tory-leadership-contest-arms-races-fantasy-economics-starmer-liz-truss-nadhim-zahawi-uk-politics-latest 11 July 2022 The Guardian Thomas Toby Sparrow Andrew Andrew Sparrow30em Chairman: Graham Bradyhttps://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/10/new-leader-of-backbench-tory-mps-holds-the-partys-future-in-his-hands The Guardian New leader of backbench Tory MPs holds the party's future in his hands Ben Quinn 10 July 2024 10 July 2024 Vice-Chairman: Nus Ghani Treasurer: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown Joint Executive secretaries: Bob Blackman Gary Sambrook Executive members: Aaron Bell Miriam Cates Jo Gideon Richard Graham Chris Green Robert Halfon Sally-Ann Hart Andrew Jones Tom Randall David Simmonds John Stevenson Martin Vickers Historical list of officials Chairmen 20em Gervais Rentoul (1923–1932) William Morrison (1932–1935) Hugh O'Neill (1935–1939) Patrick Spens (1939–1940) Alexander Erskine-Hill (1940–1944) John McEwen (1944–1945) Arnold Gridley (1946–1951) Derek Walker-Smith (1951–1955) John Morrison (1955–1964) William Anstruther-Gray (1964–1966) Arthur Vere Harvey (1966–1970) Harry Legge-Bourke (1970–1972) Edward du Cann (1972–1984) Cranley Onslow (1984–1992) Marcus Fox (1992–1997) Archie Hamilton (1997–2001) Michael Spicer (2001–2010) Graham Brady (2010–2024) Bob Blackman (2024–present) Secretaries Victor Goodhew (1979–1983) Jill Knight (1983–1987) References Further reading Ball Stuart Stuart Ball 1990 The 1922 Committee: the formative years 1922–45 Parliamentary History 9 1 129–157 10.1111/j.1750-0206.1990.tb00556.x Goodhart Philip Philip Goodhart Branston Ursula 1973 The 1922: The Story of the Conservative Backbenchers' Parliamentary Committee https://archive.org/details/1922storyofconse0000good London Macmillan 0-33314386-8 registration Norton Philip Philip Norton, Baron Norton of Louth The 1922 Committee: Power Behind The Scenes October 2023 Manchester University Press 9781526173300 Category:Organisation of the Conservative Party (UK) Category:1923 establishments in the United Kingdom Category:Parliamentary groups in the United Kingdom