Terrace of the House of Commons
The Bow Group’s 60th Anniversary party was held on 17th July at the Terrace of the House of Commons.
The Conservative Party’s oldest think tank and policy forum hosted many former chairmen from Geoffrey Howe( Lord Aberavon) who was Margaret Thatcher’s Chancellor, to Annesley Abercorn, chairman in 2010.
Present day Minister of State for the Foreign Office Lord David Howell was welcomed too, as was Lord Norman Lamont from Major’s time at Number 10.
David Cameron, who became the current leader of the Conservative Party in 2005 and Prime Minister in 2010, was preceded by Lord Michael Howard who is best remembered as a tough Home Secretary.
Sir John Major
Lord Howard gave a fine speech before the main speaker, Sir John Major took centre stage.
Patron of the Bow Group, Sir John Major was briefly Margaret Thatcher’s Foreign Secretary before becoming Prime Minister between 1990-1997. Between 1997-2010 Labour was in office.
Sir John in a brilliant speech to a captivated audience, explained how past Labour Governments have always left the nation’s finances in tatters. How in the last 20 years the wealth from international trade has swung in favour of the East.
After the big names had left the party continued in full swing until after dark. It was the last day of the parliamentary session and the House had risen for the summer break. The next political events will be the party conferences heralding in the autumn.
A nice touch was by Simon Kirby MP for Brighton Kemptown, although unable to attend, arranged for his staff to help entertain any of his constituents present.
