The Macleod Group was a short-lived pressure group and dining club associated with the 'left-wing' of Conservative Party that existed in 1975 before amalgamation with others to form the

Tory Reform Group The Tory Reform Group (TRG) is a pressure group associated with the British Conservative Party that works to promote "modern, progressive Conservatism... economic efficiency and social justice" and "a Conservatism that supports equality, divers ...

. It was composed of Tories who were considered progressive on many of the social issues of the time - for example, many supported the abolition of capital punishment - and strong supporters of Britain's membership of the EEC. The group was established soon after the general elections of 1974 by

Nicholas Scott Sir Nicholas Paul Scott (5 August 1933 – 6 January 2005) was a British Conservative Party politician. He was a liberal, pro-European Conservative who became President of the Tory Reform Group. During his time in the House of Commons he ser ...

. The President was David Knox, and the vice-presidents were

Robert Carr Leonard Robert Carr, Baron Carr of Hadley, (11 November 1916 – 17 February 2012) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Home Secretary from 1972 to 1974. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for 26 years, and later ser ...

Lynda Chalker Lynda Chalker, Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, , (; born 29 April 1942) is a British Conservative politician who was the Member of Parliament for Wallasey from 1974 to 1992. She served as Minister of State for Overseas Development and Africa a ...

, Sir

Nigel Fisher Sir Nigel Thomas Loveridge Fisher, MC (14 July 1913 – 9 October 1996) was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. Early life Son of naval officer Sir Thomas Fisher and Aimée Constance, daughter of Walter Loveridge, of Oaken, St ...

and

. In January 1975 the Macleod Group came out in support of

Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 191617 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conserv ...

in the 1975 Conservative leadership election. When

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...

won the contest, the group expressed disappointment at her choices for the Shadow Cabinet. They were particularly displeased with the absence of Robert Carr, Peter Walker, and Nicholas Scott in the Shadow Cabinet, and complained that the common factor was neither age nor ability, but that they were all on the 'left' of the party. In September 1975, the Macleod Group merged with Pressure for Economic and Social Toryism (Pest),the Progressive Tory Pressure Group and the Social Tory Action Group to form the

and many prominent members in the Macleod Group went on to play a big role in the Tory Reform Group.The Times Wednesday, September 17, 1975; pg. 4; Issue 59503; col A

References

{{UK Conservative Party Organisations associated with the Conservative Party (UK) 1975 establishments in the United Kingdom