General election: Who are the Conservatives and what are their policies? (2024)

The most successful political party in British history, the Conservatives are seeking to break another record on 4 July by securing a fifth election win in a row.

Headed up by Rishi Sunak, they will be defending a majority secured by Boris Johnson in 2019 and hoping to improve on it across the country.

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Things are looking bleak for the current prime minister and his team at the moment, with poll after poll predicting a total wipeout for the Tories after the public make their views known at the ballot box.

But Mr Sunak has pledged to fight on, hoping a six-week campaign can turn his fortunes around.

What are the party's policies?

We are yet to have a formal manifesto from the Conservatives, but as the campaign has ramped up, they have revealed a number of pledges showing their right-wing credentials.

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Mr Sunak has promised to:

• Bring in a new form of national service for 18-year-olds, which will see them either join the military for a year or do a set number of weekends working for a civil service, such as fire or the police;
• Give a "triple lock plus" for pensioners, creating a new age-related tax free allowance that will always be higher than the state pension;
• Replace "rip off" degrees with 100,000 new apprenticeships a year

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On the campaign trail, Mr Sunak has also continued to focus on his Rwanda immigration plan - which aims to deter people from making the dangerous journey across the Channel by deporting new arrivals to the African country - and his promise to lower taxes.

Who are the key figures?

Mr Sunak is the face of this election when it comes to the Conservatives.

An MP since 2015, the former investment banker has risen through the ranks at speed, serving as chancellor throughout COVID before getting the keys to Number 10.

General election: Who are the Conservatives and what are their policies? (5)

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He has a raft of cabinet ministers going out to bat for him and the party, such as Home Secretary James Cleverly, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Health Secretary Victoria Atkins.

But the party is full of famous faces - from ex-prime ministers like Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, through to media personalities like Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries - with many of them household names.

The Tories boast a rich history of well-known figures too, from Sir Robert Peel and Benjamin Disraeli in the 1800s, through to perhaps the most famous Conservatives of them all, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.

General election: Who are the Conservatives and what are their policies? (6)

Where did the party come from?

The Conservative Party was first formed in 1834 from what was the Tory Party (hence the nickname) and dominated the 19th century, along with their rivals in the Liberal Party.

But since Labour was formed in the 1920s, it has been the two parties at loggerheads over the dispatch box - with the Tories holding power for 65 years of the 20th century.

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The Conservatives have gone through a number of phases in that time, from free market worshippers to hugging a hoodie, and the latest incarnation seems to be deeply involved in the so-called "culture wars".

But some tenets have always held true - namely its calls for lower taxes and a smaller state.

How have they fared in the polls?

Despite their dominance over the past 100 years, the current opinion polls on the Conservatives make tough reading for the leadership and candidates.

You can follow the latest from Sky News' poll tracker, which averages out the range of polls available, by clicking here.

But in recent weeks, Labour have continuously been 20 points or more ahead - with YouGov's latest exclusive poll for Sky News predicting the Tories will haemorrhage 232 seats, which would leave just 140 of their MPs in the Commons.

General election: Who are the Conservatives and what are their policies? (10)

However, Mr Sunak fared better in a snap YouGov survey after the first leaders' debate on Tuesday, with the respondents to their poll saying the PM came out on top against Sir Keir Starmer, 51% to 49%.

And as the party repeats regularly, the only poll that really matters will be the one on election day.

General election: Who are the Conservatives and what are their policies? (2024)

FAQs

What are conservative policies? ›

We want to save businesses and protect jobs. The Conservatives believe that instead of paying out significant cash bonuses, banks should be rebuilding their balance sheets so they can start lending to businesses again. Tough choices regarding public spending have to be made.

What are conservative beliefs? ›

They often advocate for a strong national defense, gun rights, capital punishment, and a defense of Western culture from perceived threats posed by communism and moral relativism. American conservatives tend to question epidemiology, climate change, and evolution more frequently than moderates or liberals.

What are the Conservative Party beliefs? ›

In an effort to create a cohesive platform following its creation, the Conservative Party declared its founding core philosophies and principles to be fiscal accountability, upholding individual rights and freedom, belief in constitutional monarchy, the institutions of Parliament and Canada's democratic process, ...

What are the names of the Conservative Party? ›

The Conservative and Unionist Party, commonly the Conservative Party and colloquially known as the Tories, is one of the two main political parties in the United Kingdom, along with the Labour Party.

What are conservative policies in us? ›

Such laws include opposition to abortion, same-sex marriage, transgender rights, comprehensive sex education, and recreational drug use. Most conservative Republicans also oppose gun control, affirmative action, critical race theory, and illegal immigration.

What are 3 beliefs of conservatives? ›

7 Core Principles of Conservatism
  • Individual Freedom. The birth of our great nation was inspired by the bold declaration that our individual,God-given liberties should be preserved against government intrusion. ...
  • Limited Government. ...
  • The Rule of Law. ...
  • Peace through Strength. ...
  • Fiscal Responsibility. ...
  • Free Markets. ...
  • Human Dignity.

What do Democrats believe in? ›

From workers' rights to protecting the environment, equal pay to fighting the special interests, Democrats believe we can and should make life better for families across our nation. fairness, justice, and equality for all by standing up for all middle-class Americans and those struggling to get there.

What does a liberal believe in? ›

believing in equality and individual liberty. supporting private property and individual rights. supporting the idea of limited constitutional government. recognising the importance of related values such as pluralism, toleration, autonomy, bodily integrity, and consent.

How are Democrats and Republicans different? ›

Democrats are generally considered liberal, while Republicans are seen as conservative. The Democratic Party typically supports a larger government role in economic issues, backing regulations and social welfare programs.

What is the symbol of the Conservative Party? ›

The Conservative Party's logo has been refined and now appears primarily as the Union flag in the tree shape. The Conservative Party now appears to use the tree in isolation as the primary marque of the brand.

Who is the current leader of the Conservative Party? ›

Pierre Marcel Poilievre PC MP (/ˌpɔːliˈɛv/ PAW-lee-EV; born June 3, 1979) is a Canadian politician who has served as the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the leader of the Official Opposition since 2022. He has been a member of Parliament (MP) since 2004.

What is the ideology of the conservative Democrats? ›

In its broadest sense, the term conservative democracy highlights the compatibility of Islam with democracy, a Western-oriented foreign policy, neoliberal economics and secularism within government.

Who are conservative politicians? ›

Politicians, office holders, and jurists
NameLifetime
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice1954–
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann1956–
Vice President Mike Pence1959–
Senator Rand Paul1963–
34 more rows

What parties are conservative in the United States? ›

See also
  • Conservative Party (disambiguation)
  • Republican Party.
  • National Conservative Political Action Committee.
  • American Conservative Union.

What groups are conservative? ›

A
  • Abiding Truth Ministries.
  • Accelerated Christian Education.
  • Accuracy in Academia.
  • Accuracy in Media.
  • ACT for America.
  • Acton Institute.
  • Advance America (advocacy group)
  • AEI Legal Center for the Public Interest.

What is an example of conservative politics? ›

In Western culture, depending on the particular nation, conservatives seek to promote and preserve a range of institutions, such as the nuclear family, organised religion, the military, the nation-state, property rights, rule of law, aristocracy, and monarchy.

What are examples of conservative economic policies? ›

Fiscal conservatives advocate tax cuts, reduced government spending, free markets, deregulation, privatization, free trade, and minimal government debt. Fiscal conservatism follows the same philosophical outlook as classical liberalism.

What are the conservative political rights? ›

Right-wing politics are considered the counterpart to left-wing politics, and the left–right political spectrum is one of the most common political spectrums. The right includes social conservatives and fiscal conservatives as well as right-libertarians.

What are the liberal policies? ›

The fundamental liberal ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the separation of church and state, the right to due process, and equality before the law are widely accepted as a common foundation of liberalism.

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