Campaign for a More Prosperous Britain
LeaderTom Keen
Founded1974
Dissolvedc. 1982
HeadquartersManchester
IdeologyAnti-labourism

The Campaign for a More Prosperous Britain was a political party in the United Kingdom. It was founded prior to the February 1974 general election by Tom Keen and Harold Smith, both business owners in Manchester.

Keen was the party's leader. He had become a millionaire through property development, and before forming the campaign. The party called for voters not to vote for its candidates, but for tactical voting to defeat the Labour Party; it distributed anti-Labour literature. Despite this, some of its candidacies received hundreds of votes, with Keen's candidacy in Portsmouth North at the October 1974 general election attracting 1.0% of all the votes cast.[1]

The party first came to public attention when members plastered the headquarters of the Trades Union Congress with anti-union posters.[2] It was also strongly opposed to the Communist Party of Great Britain.[3]

Smith stood against Labour Party leader Harold Wilson at the February 1974 general election, taking 234 votes.[1] At the October general election, Keen and Smith set a new record by standing simultaneously in eleven and twelve constituencies, respectively.[4] With two associates who stood in a single constituency each, the campaign stood in a total of 25 seats, receiving 4,301 votes.[3] Each constituency was a marginal seat held by the Labour Party, but Labour held each seat at the election.[5]

Keen stood for the party again in the 1979 general election and several by-elections. However, the party was apparently dissolved in the early 1980s, Keen standing in five Labour seats at the 1983 general election as an independent.[1]

Results

February 1974 general election

Constituency Candidate Votes[1] Percentage Position Result
Huyton Harold Smith 234 0.4 4 Labour hold

October 1974 general election

Constituency Candidate Votes[3] Percentage Position Result
Aldridge-Brownhills Tom Keen 210 0.4 4 Labour hold
Battersea South Tom Keen 170 0.6 4 Labour hold
Birmingham Handsworth Tom Keen 105 0.3 4 Labour hold
Birmingham Perry Barr Tom Keen 86 0.2 5 Labour hold
Birmingham Yardley Tom Keen 111 0.2 5 Labour hold
Bolton East Harold Smith 149 0.3 5 Labour hold
Bradford West Harold Smith 339 0.8 4 Labour hold
Chorley Harold Smith 185 0.3 4 Labour hold
Coventry South West Tom Keen 144 0.3 5 Labour hold
Derby North Harold Smith 242 0.4 4 Labour hold
Glasgow Govan T. Clyde 27 0.1 6 Labour hold
Gravesend Tom Keen 239 0.4 5 Labour hold
Huddersfield West Harold Smith 136 0.3 5 Labour hold
Ilford South Tom Keen 169 0.4 4 Labour hold
Keighley Charles William Deakin 179 0.4 5 Labour hold
Loughborough Harold Smith 125 0.2 5 Labour hold
Manchester Moss Side Harold Smith 96 0.3 5 Labour hold
Middleton and Prestwich Harold Smith 234 0.4 4 Labour hold
Portsmouth North Tom Keen 527 1.0 4 Labour hold
Preston North Harold Smith 138 0.3 4 Labour hold
Preston South Harold Smith 87 0.2 5 Labour hold
Putney Tom Keen 125 0.3 4 Labour hold
Sowerby Harold Smith 157 0.4 4 Labour hold
Walsall South Tom Keen 150 0.4 5 Labour hold
York Harold Smith 304 0.5 4 Labour hold

By-elections, 1974–1979

Election Candidate Votes Percentage Position Result
1976 Coventry North West Tom Keen 40 0.1 6 Labour hold

1979 general election

Constituency Candidate Votes Percentage Position Result
Bristol North West Tom Keen 73 0.1 5 Conservative gain
Bristol South East Tom Keen 66 0.1 5 Labour hold
Colne Valley Tom Keen 101 0.2 4 Liberal hold
Coventry North West Tom Keen 98 0.3 4 Labour hold
Coventry South West Tom Keen 144 0.3 5 Conservative gain
Huddersfield West Tom Keen 101 0.2 4 Conservative gain

By-elections, 1979–1983

Election Candidate Votes Percentage Position Result
1981 Warrington Tom Keen 10 0.0 11 Labour hold
1982 Beaconsfield Tom Keen 51 0.1 6 Conservative hold

At Beaconsfield, Keen stood under the description "Benn in 10 unless Proportional Representation".

References

  1. ^ a b c d David Boothroyd, Politico's guide to the history of British political parties, p. 28.
  2. ^ Institute for the Study of Conflict, Sources of conflict in British industry, p. 34.
  3. ^ a b c F. W. S. Craig, Minor Parties at British Parliamentary Elections 1885–1974, p. 128.
  4. ^ Peter Barberis et al, Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations, p. 320.
  5. ^ Labour Party, Conference (vol. 74), p. 27.
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