Notting Hill set
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The term Notting Hill set refers to an informal group of young figures who were in prominent leadership positions in the Conservative Party, or close advisory positions around the former party leader and Prime Minister, David Cameron.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1511473/Who-are-the-Notting-Hill-Set.html|title=Who are the Notting Hill Set?|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=2018-09-03|language=en}} Several members of the group studied at Oxford University.
The term was coined by Derek Conway in July 2004, before Cameron became leader.{{cite news |title=Tory leader put under pressure on three fronts |author=Marie Woolf |author2=Ben Russell |newspaper=The Independent |date=28 July 2004 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-leader-put-under-pressure-on-three-fronts-554701.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-leader-put-under-pressure-on-three-fronts-554701.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live }} It was intended to be pejorative, as Conway was one of the 'bed blockers' preventing the party modernising. The term is in reference to all of them having lived in Notting Hill, in west London;{{cite news |title=Tory central |author=Nicholas Watt |newspaper=The Guardian |date=28 July 2004 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/jul/28/conservatives.uk1 }} by 2006, however, the group's two leading players, Cameron and George Osborne no longer lived in Notting Hill.{{cite news |title=The Tory Notting Hill Set sell up and move on; Cameron and his pals quit west London base |author=Katherine Barney |newspaper=The Evening Standard |date=3 March 2006 }}
The set is often seen as symbolic of the wing of the party that dominated the leadership during Cameron's time as leader of the Conservative Party.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/mar/21/conservatives.uk|title=Club Cameron: The truth about the team behind the Tory leader|last=Beckett|first=Andy|date=2007-03-21|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-09-03}} It combines traditional centre right economic views with socially liberal and environmentally friendly stances on other issues. The group refer to themselves as the "Smith Square set"; at the time of the 1992 General Election, they were often referred to as the "Brat Pack".https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2008/02 Make a million by helping the poor{{sfn|Snowdon|2010|p=3}}
Members
The following have been reported to be its members:{{cite news |title=Who are the Notting Hill Set? |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=26 Feb 2006 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1511473/Who-are-the-Notting-Hill-Set.html }}
- David Cameron, Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills (2005), Leader of the Opposition (2005–2010) and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2010–2016)
- George Osborne, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2004–2005), Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer (2005–2010), Chancellor of the Exchequer (2010–2016) and First Secretary of State (2015–2016)
- Michael Gove, Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (2007–2010), Secretary of State for Education (2010–2014), Chief Whip of the House of Commons (2014–2015) and Secretary of State for Justice (2015–2016)
- Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries (2010–2016)
- Nick Boles, Minister of State for Skills and Equalities (2014–2016)
- Steve Hilton, former Director of Strategy at Conservative Campaign Headquarters
- Rachel Whetstone, Hilton's wife and head of Google's division in Europe until June 2015
- Edward Llewellyn, Downing Street Chief of Staff (2010–2016)
- The Baroness Fall, Downing Street Deputy Chief of Staff (2010–2016)
- The Lord Feldman of Elstree, Chairman of the Conservative Party (2010–2016)
Post Cameron era
Following the resignation of David Cameron, the remaining nine members were fully removed from power by Theresa May, following her victory in the leadership election of June 2016, and the formation of the May Ministry in July 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/14/may-regime-change-notting-hill-set-theresa-may|title=May's regime change: a sulphurous hiss, and the Notting Hill set is gone {{!}} Polly Toynbee|last=Toynbee|first=Polly|date=2016-07-14|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-09-03}} However, following the general election of 2017, Gove made a return to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and also went on to serve in the Cabinets of Boris Johnson (2019–2022) and Rishi Sunak (2022–2024). Cameron himself made a surprise return as Foreign Secretary in November 2023, this time as a member of the House of Lords.
See also
References
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- {{cite book | last = Snowdon | first = Peter | author-link = Peter Snowdon | title = Back from the Brink: The Extraordinary Fall and Rise of the Conservative Party | location = London | publisher = HarperCollins | year = 2010 |orig-year = 2010 | isbn = 978-0-00-730884-2 }}
{{David Cameron}}
Category:Conservative Party (UK) factions
Category:2004 in the United Kingdom
Category:Politics of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
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