Conservative Party Archive: Official Group

Bodleian Library, University of Oxford

Catalogued in EAD by Emily Tarrant, 2004

©2004

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Minutes and papers, 1967-71
Minutes and papers, 1970-4
Minutes and papers, 1974

Official Group, 1967-74

Abstract:
Minutes and papers of the Conservative Official Group, 1967-74.

Shelfmarks: OG 1-57

Extent: 53 shelfmarks

Organisational History

The Conservative Official Group has existed under several names, such as the Research Study Group and the Policy Study Group, and was also known as the Chairman's Committee while headed by Iain Macleod as Party Chairman. It is a gathering of MPs and professionals from the Research Department and Central Office, mainly brought together for the purposes of assembling and drafting a manifesto but advising on other matters too. Its secretary usually comes from the Research Department.

Scope and Content

Papers attached to minutes were not always considered at that particular meeting. Minutes should, therefore, be studied in conjunction with papers previously circulated.

Restrictions on Access

General access conditions apply to this material.

Preferred Form of Citation

Oxford, Bodleian Library, Conservative Party Archive [followed by shelfmark, e.g. OG 1].

Corporate names (NCA Rules)

Conservative Party | Official Group


Minutes and papers, 1967-71

OG 1-7 Minutes and papers

OG 1

  • OG/67/5: Official Group meeting minutes, 24 Nov. 1967
  • Note for Sir Michael Fraser on Policy Formulation (for possible addition to joint note to Mr. Heath), 9 Nov. 1967
  • Notes dated 14 and 17 Nov. 1967 on establishment of Official Group, Nov. 1967
  • Note by Brendon Sewill dated 22 Nov. 1967 on expected developments 1968-9, 22 Nov. 1967
  • OG/67/1: Conservative Policy- 'A Plan for Action 1967-8', paper by Sir Michael Fraser, 22 Nov. 1967
  • OG/67/2: 'Policy Formulation and Presentation', by Brendon Sewill and James Douglas, 23 Nov. 1967
  • OG/67/3: 'Expected Developments during 1968 and 1969', 22 Nov. 1967
  • Comments on OG/67/3 by Mr. Bellairs, 23 Nov. 1967
  • Draft paper by Brendon Sewill on 'Promises that Confront the Nation', 27 Nov. 1967
  • Draft: 'Style and Promise', 28 Nov. 1967
  • OG/67/4: 'A Life Worth Living' (not published), 15 Aug. 1967

OG 2

  • OG/67/9: Official Group meeting minutes, 1 Dec. 1967
  • OG/67/6: 'Problems that Confront the Nation', 28 Nov. 1967
  • OG/67/7: 'The Relevance of Various Issues', n.d.
  • OG/67/7: 'Transitional Voters - Depth Research', 8 Nov. 1967
  • OG/67/7: 'What People Think', 30 Nov. 1967
  • OG/67/8: 'Style and Promise', 29 Nov. 1967

OG 3

  • OG/67/14: Official Group meeting minutes, 8 Dec. 1967
  • OG/67/10: 'Explaining Gallup Poll Results, 1955-64', 5 Dec. 1967
  • OG/67/11: 'Specific Pledges', 10 Nov. 1967
  • OG/67/12: 'Notes for the Official Group', 6 Dec. 1967
  • OG/67/13: Extract from minutes of the monthly meeting of the Policy Group Chairmen held on, 22 Nov. 1967

OG 4

  • OG/67/16: Official Group meeting minutes, 15 Dec. 1967
  • OG/67/15: 'Gallup Poll Results, 1964-6', 13 Dec. 1967
  • Memos on 'A Life Worth Living' by Mr Sewill (29 Nov. 1967) and Mr. Douglas (13 Dec. 1967), Nov.-Dec. 1967

OG 5

  • OG/68/24: Official Group meeting minutes, 5 Jan. 1968
  • OG/68/17: 'Wolff's Doodle', 3 Jan. 1968
  • OG/68/18: 'Selectivity' and the Social Services, 4 Jan. 1968
  • OG/68/19: Draft of the working paper, 4 Jan. 1968
  • OG/68/20: 'The Cost of Living', 8 Jan. 1968
  • OG/68/21: Draft Working Document, 10 Jan. 1968
  • OG/68/22: 'The Cost of Living - memorandum of Dissent', 11 Jan. 1968
  • OG/68/23: The Royal Commission on Local Government in England: A Survey of some of the written evidence by Ivor Gowan and Leon Gibson, University College Wales, Aberystwyth, Dec. 1967

OG 6

  • Official Group meeting minutes (OG/68/25)
  • OG/68/26: 'Selectivity: Public Opinion', 17 Jan. 1968
  • OG/68/27: 'Summary of Policy Group Chairmen's Preliminary Thoughts', 18 Jan. 1968
  • OG/68/28: Draft Working Paper, 25 Jan. 1968

OG 7

  • OG/68/29: Official Group meeting minutes
  • General Outline, n.d.
  • OG/68/30: Draft Working Paper, n.d.
  • Paper on Industrial Growth given to Mr. Hayhoe for inclusion in an OG document, 6 Feb. 1968
  • OG/68/31: Working Paper, 7 Feb. 1968
  • Public Opinion - note by J. Rathbone, 8 Feb. 1968
  • OG/68/32: Policy Document Working Paper with Appendix on Public Opinion, nd
Nov. 1967-Feb 1968
[OG 8-10] [Vacant]
OG 11-16 Minutes and papers

OG 11

  • OG/68/33: Official Group meeting minutes, 16 Feb. 1968
  • Memo by T. Boswell on Tax Pledges, 23 Feb. 1968
  • Memos on the Official Group and Incomes Policy by Mr Sewill (23 Feb. 1968) and by Mr Douglas (27 Feb. 1968), Feb. 1968
  • Draft on Social Services, 27 Feb. 1968
  • Note by Mr. Bellairs on the cost of welfare, 27 Feb. 1968
  • Reply to Mr Bellairs from Mr Sewill, 29 Feb. 1968
  • OG/68/34: The Social Services, 28 Feb. 1968
  • Notes for possible policy statement by Tony Newton, 5 Mar. 1968

OG 12

  • OG/68/35: Offical Group meeting minutes, 1 Mar. 1968
  • Note by Mr Douglas on Involvement, 13 Mar. 1968
  • OG/68/36: Policy Document 1968, Rough Draft, 11 Apr. 1968
  • SC/68/3: Major Policy Decisions Required (amended), 13 Mar. 1968
  • Note by Mr Douglas on 1968 Document, 25 Apr. 1968
  • Note by Mr Sewill on rough draft, 29 Apr. 1968

[OG 13 - Vacant]

OG 14

  • OG/68/38: Official Group meeting minutes, 2 May 1968
  • Note by Mr Sewill on timetable for publication of Policy Document, 13 May 1968
  • Correspondence between Mr Clarke and Mr Sewill about title of document, 16, 20 May 1968
  • OG/68/39: Introduction for the Second Draft of the Document, 21 May 1968
  • OG/68/40: Policy Document - publication date, 22 May 1968
  • OG/68/41: Policy Document - revised outline, n.d.

OG 15

  • OG/68/41: Official Group meeting minutes, 24 May 1968
  • OG/68/42: 'A Fresh Start', 24 June 1986
  • OG/68/42: Policy Document 1968 - second draft, 30 May 1968
  • OG/68/43: 'Make Life Better' - alternative version, 1 July 1968
  • Brendon Sewill's version of policy document, 1 July 1968
  • Memo on publication date of policy document, 2 July 1968
  • David Clarke's comments on the two draft documents, 5 July 1968
  • Policy document revision - comments by Sir Edward Boyle, n.d.
  • Comments on OG/68/43 by Mr Douglas, 10 July 1968

OG 16

  • OG/68/45: Official Group meeting minutes, 5 July 1968
  • SC/68/11: Policy Document 1968 - revised version (third draft), 12 July 1968
Feb.-July 1968
OG 17-27 Minutes and papers

OG 17

  • OG/68/46: Official Group meeting minutes, 8 Nov. 1968
  • OG/68/47: Position Paper, 4 Oct. 1968
  • OG/68/48: Strategy, Autumn 1968 - paper by Mr Sewill, 7 Nov. 1968
  • OG/68/49a: Legislative Action, 4 Dec. 1968
  • OG/68/49b: Administrative Action, 4 Dec. 1968
  • OG/68/49c: Gaps in Policy Formulation, 4 Dec. 1968
  • OG/68/50: Progress Report on Policy Work, 13 Dec. 1968

OG 18

  • OG/68/51L Official Group meeting minutes, 8 Nov. 1968
  • OG/69/52: Priorities for Legislative Action, 6 Jan. 1969
  • OG/68/53: Priorities fo Government Action, 17 Jan. 1979

OG 19

  • OG/69/54, Official Group meeting minutes, 9 Jan. 1969
  • OG/69/55: Priorities for Government Action - paper by Official Group, 24 Jan. 1969

[OG 20 - Vacant]

OG 21

  • OG/69/56: Official Group meeting minutes, 8 May 1969
  • OG/69/57: Draft Manifesto Summer 1969, 15 May 1969

OG 22

  • OG/69/58: Official Group meeting minutes, 12 June 1969
  • OG/69/59: Policy Areas where Decisions are Required, 27 June 1969
  • OG/69/60: Draft Manifesto Autumn 1969 - forword by Edward Heath, 7 July 1969
  • OG/69/61: Draft Manifesto Autumn 1969 - typical section on taxation and public expenditure, 11 July 1969

OG 23

  • OG/69/62: Official Group meeting minutes, 14 July 1969
  • OG/69/63: Draft Manifesto Autumn 1969, 17 Oct. 1969
  • OG/69/44: Return to Prosperity, first draft, 25 July 1969

OG 24

  • OG/69/62: Official Group meeting minutes, 23 Oct. 1969
  • OG/69/67: Second draft of Manifesto, 20 Nov. 1969
  • OG/69/69: Summary of possible Wilson TV broadcast - Feb.-Mar. 1970 by Tony Newton, 2 Dec. 1969
  • OG/69/70: Draft Manifesto - Spring 1970, 8 Dec. 1969
  • OG/69/71: Steering Committee - publication of policy during 1970, 8 Dec. 1969
  • Mr Macleod's amendments to the taxation and saving sections of the manifesto, n.d.
  • OG/70/72a: Manifesto - Spring 1970 - third draft, 'The Future is Yours', 25 Feb. 1970
  • OG/70/72b: Suggested amendments and alterations to second draft OG/70/72c, n.d.
  • OG/70/73: Fourth draft, 2 Mar. 1970

[OG 25-6 - Vacant]

OG 27

OG/70/74: Official Group meeting minutes, 26 Feb. 1970

Oct. 1968-Mar 1971



Minutes and papers, 1970-4

OG 28-33 Minutes and papers

OG 28

  • OG/70/77: Offical Group meeting minutes, 18 Dec. 1970
  • OG/70/75: The 1970 General Election - Preview of the BMRB Report, 11 Dec. 1970
  • OG/70/76: Note on Legislative Programme 1971-2, 19 Dec. 1970

OG 29

  • OG/71/82: Official Group meeting minutes, 29 Apr. 1971
  • OG/71/78: Strategic/Tactical calendar - first draft of a calendar of foreseeable events up to 1975, 27 Apr. 1971
  • OG/71/80: Current Political Situation and Outlook, 26 Apr. 1971
  • OG/71/81: Future of Conservative Policy: summary of CRD papers, 28 Apr. 1971
  • Draft of 'Current Political Situation and Outlook' handed to Sir Michael Fraser, 5 May 1971

OG 30

  • OG/71/86: Official Group meeting minutes, 19 June 1971
  • OG/71/85: Long-Term Policy, 9 June 1971
  • Current Political Situation and Outlook (draft), 2 Sept. 1971
  • OG/71/87: The New Voter, 7 Sept. 1971
  • OG/71/88: The New Voter, 7 Sept. 1971
  • OG/71/88b: The New Voter - initial comments by James Douglas on the ORC Research, 8 Sept. 1971
  • OG/71/89: The Next Manifesto, 8 Sept. 1971
  • Appendix to OG/71/89: General Election Manifestos 1945-70, 8 Sept. 1971

OG 31

  • OG/71/90: Official Group meeting minutes, 9 Sept. 1971
  • Paper by Humphrey Taylor (Opinion Research Centre) on the Politics of Young People, 30 Oct. 1971
  • OG/71/92: The Report on Young Voters and Allied Research, CRD paper, 2 Nov. 1971
  • OG/71/93: (draft) Political Prosepects over the next three years, 29 Oct. 1971
  • OG/71/94: Economic Prospect to 1975, 2 Nov. 1971
  • Note on Goodhart-Bhansali equation, 8 Oct. 1971
  • Note on Ulster Representation at the Party Conference, 23 Sept. 1971
  • Draft for Steering- New Voters, 10 Sept. 1971

OG 32

  • OG/71/95: Official Group meeting minutes, 4 Nov. 1971
  • OG/71/96: The Survey of the Politics of Young People, 12 Nov. 1971
  • Appendix to OG/71/96, 15 Nov. 1971
  • OG/71/97: first draft of paper on Young Voters: Possible Lines of Action, 17 Nov. 1971

OG 33

  • OG/71/98: Official Group meeting minutes, 18 Nov. 1971
  • Also includes Provisional Forecast on Bull Points for 1972, 17 Nov. 1971
Aug. 1970-Nov. 1971
OG 34-44 Minutes and papers

OG 34

  • OG/72/101: Official Group meeting minutes, 9 Mar. 1972
  • First draft of the next Manifesto - policy, 22 Feb. 1972
  • OG/72/99: The Next Manifesto - policy, 2 Mar. 1972
  • OG/72/99a: Appendix to OG/72/99, 7 Mar. 1972
  • OG/72/100: CRD paper on Urban Problems, 1 Mar. 1972
  • Additional piece to OG/72/100: Summary and conclusions on the Urban Problem, 7 Mar. 1972

OG 35

  • OG/72/104: Official Group meeting minutes, 18 May 1972
  • OG/72/105: First draft outline for Party Conference pamphlet, 16 June 1972
  • OG/72/106: Labour/Tory comparisons - CRD Paper, 14 June 1972
  • Draft letter from PM to Margaret Thatcher, 23 May 1972
  • Draft letter from PM to Maurice Macmillan, 16 May 1972
  • Dealing with Poverty - CRD paper, 11 May 1972

OG 36

  • OG/72/107: Official Group meeting minutes, 20 June 1972
  • OG/72/108: Party Conference Pamphlet - first draft, 1 Aug. 1972
  • OG/72/110: Party Conference Pamphlet - second draft, 11 Aug. 1972

OG 37

  • OG/72/109: Official Group meeting minutes, 3 Aug. 1972
  • OG/72/112: Draft paper on future policy by CRD, n.d.

OG 38

  • OG/72/111: Official Group meeting minutes, 23 Aug. 1972

OG 39

  • OG/72/113: Official Group meeting minutes, 21 Dec. 1972
  • OG/73/114: Future Policy - CRD note, 15 Jan. 1973

OG 40

  • OG/73/116: Official Group meeting minutes, 17 Jan. 1973

OG 41

  • OG/73/119: Official Group meeting minutes, 7 Feb. 1973
  • OG/73/120: Future Policy: 'Some Formulae', 7 May 1973

OG 42

  • OG/73/121: Official Group meeting minutes, 10 May 1973
  • OG/73/122: Paper sent to PM by Lord Eccles on equality opportunity versus equality of result, n.d.
  • Note of meeting held in London on 21 March 1973 to discuss Scottish Conservative Party Policy, n.d.

OG 43

  • OG/73/123: Official Group meeting minutes, 7 June 1973
  • OG/73/124: Issues and Themes - CRD note, 28 June 1973
  • OG/73/128: Future Policy - Wales, n.d.
  • OG/73/127: Future Policy - Scotland, n.d.

OG 44

  • OG/73/126: Official Group meeting minutes, 28 June 1973
  • OG/73/129: Party Conference Debates, nd
  • OG/73/132: Strategic/Tactical Calendar - revised summary by CRD, 22 Oct. 1973
  • OG/73/131: The Current Political Scene by James Douglas, 22 Oct. 1973
Mar. 72-Oct. 73
OG 45-9 Minutes and papers

OG 45

  • OG/73/130: Official Group meeting minutes, 21 July 1973
  • OG/73/118: The Strategic/Tactical Situation in 1973 by CRD, 5 Feb. 1973
  • OG/73/117: Future Policy, 5 Feb. 1973
  • Keith Joseph's letter in reply to the PM about a policy for the Manifesto, 26 July 1973

OG 46

  • OG/73/134: Official Group meeting minutes, 25 Oct. 1973
  • OG/73/132: Preliminary Draft Manifesto, 26 Nov. 1973
  • The Alternative Manifesto - some thoughts by James Douglas, 10-11 Dec. 1973
  • ACP/73/81: An Outline (preliminary draft Manifesto - introduction), 4 Dec. 1973
  • OG/73/136: An Alternative Manifesto - An Appeal to the Nation, 5 Dec. 1973

OG 47

  • OG/73/135: Official Group meeting minutes, 29 Nov. 1973
  • OG/74/141: Wales - first revised draft, n.d.
  • OG/74/140: Part Two of Scottish Manifesto, n.d.

OG 48

  • OG/73/138: Official Group meeting minutes, 12 Dec. 1973
  • Note by Nigel Lawson on Scottish Draft Manifesto, 1 Feb. 1974

[OG 48 - Vacant]

 June 1973-Feb. 1974



Minutes and papers, 1974

OG 50-5 Minutes and papers

OG 50

  • OG/74/143: Official Group meeting minutes, 21 Mar. 1974
  • OG/74/142: 1974 General Election Manifesto - paper by Stephen Sherbourne, 11 Mar. 1974

OG 51

  • OG/74/144: Official Group meeting minutes, 4 Apr. 1974
  • OG/74/145: Preparing for a June election: notes toward a new Part 1 by Robert Jackson, 19 Apr. 1974
  • OG/74/147: Preliminary Manifesto Draft, 30 Apr. 1974
  • OG/74/147a: Note on gaps in OG/74/147 by S. Sherbourne, 30 Apr. 1974

OG 52

  • OG/74/146: Official Group meeting minutes, 25 Apr. 1974
  • OG/74/148: Voting Behaviour: Survey of Changes in Voting Behaviour Between 1970 and 1974 by James Douglas, 1 May 1974

OG 53

  • OG/74/149: Official Group meeting minutes, 2 May 1974
  • OG/74/150: Preliminary Manifesto Draft (2nd), 14 May 1974
  • OG/74/151: Diagrams supplied by BMRB as a follow up to OG.74/148, n.d.

OG 54

  • OG/74/152: Official Group meeting minutes, 16 May 1974
  • Memo by James Douglas on 'What's bugging New Voters', 24 May 1974
  • OG/74/153a-d: BMRB charts, n.d.
  • OG/74/154: Preliminary Manifesto Draft (third draft), 10 June 1974

OG 55

  • OG/74/155: Official Group meeting minutes, 13 June 1974
  • LCC/74/21: Manifesto (fourth draft), 19 June 1974
  • LCC/74/21: Manifesto Draft - points requiring revision, n.d.
  • Contribution from Christopher Patten on the 'What Bugs Me?' exercise, 8 June 1974
  • Contribution from Donald Harker on the 'What Bugs Me?' exercise, 11 June 1974
  • Counter Inflation (Manifesto), n.d.
  • OG/74/156: Manifesto - provisional fifth draft, 25 June 1974
  • OG/74/157: Draft introduction to the Manifesto prepared by Mr Gilmour, 26 June 1974
Mar.-June 1974
OG 56-7 Minutes and papers

OG 56

  • OG/74/158: Official Group meeting minutes, 27 June 1974
  • OG/74/159: Rates - Manifesto draft (Charles Bellairs), 5 July 1974
  • OG/74/160: Housing Manifesto (Charles Bellairs), 9 July 1974
  • OG/74/161: Social Policy: note by Geoffrey Howe, 8 July 1974
  • OG/74/162: Immigration and Race Relations by Peter Joynes, 3 July 1974
  • OG/74/163: Agriculture by Paul Howell, 9 July 1974
  • OG/74/164: Draft Manifesto- Energy (Stephen Probyn), 10 July 1974
  • OG/74/165: Foreign Policy by Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Nigel Forman, 4 July 1974
  • OG/74/166: The European Community by Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Nigel Forman, 4 July 1974
  • OG/74/167: National versus Sectional by Stephen Sherbourne, 10 July 1974
  • OG/74/168: BMRB charts on Public Attitudes 1974 (Housing/Mortgage Factor, Car Ownership, Trade Union Membership, Did Not Vote social breakdowns), 9 July 1974

OG 57

  • OG/74/169: Official Group meeting minutes, 12 July 1974
  • LCC/74/46: Manifesto (fifth draft), 24 July 1974
  • OG/74/170: Voting Behaviour 1970-4: third report on panel exercise, 13 Aug. 1974
  • Manifesto - Alternative Draft, 26 July 1974
  • Manifesto - Sixth Draft, 13 Aug. 1974
  • Manifesto - Putting Britain First (seventh draft), 22 Aug. 1974
July-Aug. 1974


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06 March 2012