Young Conservatives - Rise and Fall

Rise and Fall

The Young Conservatives attracted a large following and, by 1955, claimed a membership of 150,000. This made it the largest political youth movement in a liberal democracy, though not all its members were strongly motivated by politics. A large part of its appeal lay in its social activities that brought young people together in a socially safe environment. Countless middle-class British couples met through the "YC's" dances, rambles, and charity events in the 1950s. However, the social dimension of the movement was to prove its ultimate downfall.

Former Young Conservatives activists include:

• BBC political editor, Nick Robinson, who was National Chairman of the YCs in the mid-1980s, elected as a moderate candidate.
• Andrew Rosindell MP, National Chairman in 1993-94

Membership fell from a peak of 250,000 to just a few thousand, while the rival organisation Conservative Students claimed significantly more members. The end came in 1998 when Conservative leader William Hague announced the closure of Young Conservatives and the launch of a new organisation, Conservative Future.