ginger group

A ginger group is a formal or informal group within an organisation seeking to influence its direction and activity. The term comes from the phrase ginger up, meaning to enliven or stimulate. Ginger groups work to alter the organisation's policies, practices, or office-holders, while still supporting its general goals.{{Cite book|author=Schur, Norman W. |year=2013 |title=British English A to Zed: A Definitive Guide to the Queen's English |location=New York |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing |page=152 |isbn=978-1-62087-577-3}} Ginger groups sometimes form within the political parties of Commonwealth countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Pakistan.{{Cite book|author=Lok Sabha Secretariat |year=1975|title=Glossary of Idioms, English-Hindi: Containing Idioms, Phrases, and Proverbial Sayings Under Letters A to Z |location=New Delhi |publisher=Lok Sabha Secretariat |page=98 |oclc=2540350}}

The Monday Night Cabal

The Monday Night Cabal was a 'ginger group' of influential people set up in London by Leo Amery at the start of 1916 to discuss war policy.Amery, Leo, "My Political Life, Vol. II", [https://archive.org/details/mypoliticallife0002amer/page/80/mode/2up?q=The+nucleus+of+our+group pg. 81]{{cite journal|title=Lord Milner and Patriotic Labour, 1914-1918|first=J. O.|last=Stubbs|journal=The English Historical Review|volume=87|issue=345|year=1972|pages=717–754|doi=10.1093/ehr/LXXXVII.CCCXLV.717 |jstor=562198}} The nucleus of the group consisted of Lord Milner, George Carson, Geoffrey Dawson, Waldorf Astor and F. S. Oliver. The group got together for Monday night dinners and to discuss politics.Marlowe, John, "Milner: Apostle of Empire", [https://archive.org/details/milnerapostleofe0000marl/page/248/mode/2up?q=January+1916 pgs. 249-250]Gollin, Alfred, "Proconsul in Politics", [https://archive.org/details/proconsulinpolit0000goll/page/322/mode/2up?q=Amery pgs. 323-364] Throughout 1916, their numbers and influence grew to include Minister of Munitions David Lloyd George, General Henry Wilson, Philip Kerr, and Mark Jameson. It was through the Ginger Group that Times editor Geoffrey Dawson published a December 4, 1916 news story titled "Reconstruction" that set in motion events that caused Prime Minister H. H. Asquith to resign, signalling the rise of the Lloyd George Ministry.Stewart, A.T.Q., "Edward Carson", [https://archive.org/details/edwardcarson00stew/page/104/mode/2up pgs. 105-106]

Other examples

Ginger Group, a radical group of left-wing Canadian MPs in the 1920s and early 1930s
Ginger Group (Queensland)
Kitchen Cabinet, a term used by political opponents of President of the United States Andrew Jackson to describe his ginger group
League of Empire Loyalists, a 1950s UK ginger group
Momentum, which has been described as a ginger group{{cite web|last=Ley |first=Shaun |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34941888 |title=Deselection fear hangs over Corbyn's critics - BBC News |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2015-11-30 |accessdate=2019-09-05}} within the British Labour Party

Footnotes

References

Amery, Leo, [https://archive.org/details/mypoliticallife0002amer/page/n7/mode/2up My Political Life, Vol. II, War and Peace (1914-1929)], London: Hutchinson, 1953
Gollin, Alfred, [https://archive.org/details/proconsulinpolit0000goll/page/n9/mode/2up?q=Amery Proconsul in Politics], London: Blond, 1964
Marlowe, John, [https://archive.org/details/milnerapostleofe0000marl/page/n5/mode/2up?q=January+1916 Milner: Apostle of Empire], London: Hamish Hamilton, 1976
Stewart, A.T.Q., [https://archive.org/details/edwardcarson00stew/page/n3/mode/2up Edward Carson], Belfast: Blackstaff, 1981

= External links =

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Category:Political terminology