Campaign for a More Prosperous Britain

The Campaign for a More Prosperous Britain was a political party in the United Kingdom. It was founded prior to the February 1974 general election by Tom Keen and Harold Smith, both business owners in Manchester.

Campaign for a More Prosperous Britain
LeaderTom Keen
Founded1974
Dissolvedc. 1982
HeadquartersManchester
IdeologyAnti-labourism

Keen was the party's leader. He had become a millionaire through property development, and before forming the campaign, had donated money to the National Front.[1]

The party called for voters not to vote for its candidates, but for tactical voting to defeat the Labour Party; it distributed anti-Labour literature. Despite this, some of its candidacies received hundreds of votes, with Keen's candidacy in Portsmouth North at the October 1974 general election attracting 1.0% of all the votes cast.[2]

The party first came to public attention when members plastered the headquarters of the Trades Union Congress with anti-union posters.[3] It was also strongly opposed to the Communist Party of Great Britain.[4]

Smith stood against Labour Party leader Harold Wilson at the February 1974 general election, taking 234 votes.[2] At the October general election, Keen and Smith set a new record by standing simultaneously in eleven and twelve constituencies, respectively.[5] With two associates who stood in a single constituency each, the campaign stood in a total of 25 seats, receiving 4,301 votes.[4] Each constituency was a marginal seat held by the Labour Party, but Labour held each seat at the election.[6]

Keen stood for the party again in the 1979 general election and several by-elections. However, the party was apparently dissolved in the early 1980s, Keen standing in five Labour seats at the 1983 general election as an independent.[2]

Results

February 1974 general election

ConstituencyCandidateVotes[2]PercentagePosition Result
HuytonHarold Smith2340.44 Labour hold

October 1974 general election

ConstituencyCandidateVotes[4]PercentagePosition Result
Aldridge-BrownhillsTom Keen2100.44 Labour hold
Battersea SouthTom Keen1700.64 Labour hold
Birmingham HandsworthTom Keen1050.34 Labour hold
Birmingham Perry BarrTom Keen860.25 Labour hold
Birmingham YardleyTom Keen1110.25 Labour hold
Bolton EastHarold Smith1490.35 Labour hold
Bradford WestHarold Smith3390.84 Labour hold
ChorleyHarold Smith1850.34 Labour hold
Coventry South WestTom Keen1440.35 Labour hold
Derby NorthHarold Smith2420.44 Labour hold
Glasgow GovanT. Clyde270.16 Labour hold
GravesendTom Keen2390.45 Labour hold
Huddersfield WestHarold Smith1360.35 Labour hold
Ilford SouthTom Keen1690.44 Labour hold
KeighleyCharles William Deakin1790.45 Labour hold
LoughboroughHarold Smith1250.25 Labour hold
Manchester Moss SideHarold Smith960.35 Labour hold
Middleton and PrestwichHarold Smith2340.44 Labour hold
Portsmouth NorthTom Keen5271.04 Labour hold
Preston NorthHarold Smith1380.34 Labour hold
Preston SouthHarold Smith870.25 Labour hold
PutneyTom Keen1250.34 Labour hold
SowerbyHarold Smith1570.44 Labour hold
Walsall SouthTom Keen1500.45 Labour hold
YorkHarold Smith3040.54 Labour hold

By-elections, 1974–1979

ElectionCandidateVotesPercentagePosition Result
1976 Coventry North WestTom Keen400.16 Labour hold

1979 general election

ConstituencyCandidateVotesPercentagePosition Result
Bristol North WestTom Keen730.15 Conservative gain
Bristol South EastTom Keen660.15 Labour hold
Colne ValleyTom Keen1010.24 Liberal hold
Coventry North WestTom Keen980.34 Labour hold
Coventry South WestTom Keen1440.35 Conservative gain
Huddersfield WestTom Keen1010.24 Conservative gain

By-elections, 1979–1983

ElectionCandidateVotesPercentagePosition Result
1981 WarringtonTom Keen100.011 Labour hold
1982 BeaconsfieldTom Keen510.16 Conservative hold

At Beaconsfield, Keen stood under the description "Benn in 10 unless Proportional Representation".

References

  1. Labour Research Department, The National Front investigated, p. 23.
  2. David Boothroyd, Politico's guide to the history of British political parties, p. 28.
  3. Institute for the Study of Conflict, Sources of conflict in British industry, p. 34.
  4. F. W. S. Craig, Minor Parties at British Parliamentary Elections 1885–1974, p. 128.
  5. Peter Barberis et al, Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations, p. 320.
  6. Labour Party, Conference (vol. 74), p. 27.
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