Editing Conservative Party (UK) (section)

=== Free-market Conservatives ===
The "free-market wing" of [[economic liberals]] achieved dominance after the election of Margaret Thatcher as party leader in 1975. Their goal was to reduce the role of the government in the economy and to this end, they supported cuts in direct taxation, the [[privatisation]] of [[nationalised]] industries and a reduction in the size and scope of the welfare state. Supporters of the "free-market wing" have been labelled as "[[Thatcherites]]". The group has disparate views of social policy: Thatcher herself was [[socially conservative]] and a practising [[Anglican]] but the free-market wing in the Conservative Party harbour a range of social opinions from the [[civil libertarian]] views of [[Michael Portillo]], [[Daniel Hannan]], and [[David Davis (British politician)|David Davis]] to the [[traditional conservatism]] of former party leaders [[William Hague]] and [[Iain Duncan Smith]]. The Thatcherite wing is also associated with the concept of a "classless society".<ref>{{cite book |first=Tim |last=Bale |author-link=Tim Bale |title=The Conservative Party: From Thatcher to Cameron |year=2011 |page=145}}</ref>

Whilst a number of party members are [[pro-European]], some free-marketeers are [[Eurosceptic]], perceiving most EU regulations as interference in the free market and/or a threat to British sovereignty. EU centralisation also conflicts with the localist ideals that have grown in prominence within the party in recent years. Rare Thatcherite Europhiles included [[Leon Brittan]]. Many take inspiration from Thatcher's Bruges speech in 1988, in which she declared that "we have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain only to see them reimposed at a European level". A number of free-market Conservatives have signed the [[Better Off Out]] pledge to leave the EU.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.betteroffout.net/supporters/ |title=Supporters |publisher=Better Off Out |access-date=18 June 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130620024415/http://www.betteroffout.net/supporters/ |archive-date=20 June 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Thatcherites and [[economic liberals]] in the party tend to support [[Atlanticism]], something exhibited between Margaret Thatcher and [[Ronald Reagan]].

Thatcher herself claimed philosophical inspiration from the works of Burke and [[Friedrich Hayek]] for her defence of liberal economics. Groups associated with this tradition include the [[No Turning Back (political group)|No Turning Back]] Group and [[Conservative Way Forward]], whilst Enoch Powell and [[Keith Joseph]] are usually cited as early influences in the movement.<ref>{{cite book |first=Eric J. |last=Evans |title=Thatcher and Thatcherism |url=https://archive.org/details/thatcherthatcher00evan |url-access=limited |year=2004 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/thatcherthatcher00evan/page/n20 6], 72}}</ref> Some free-market supporters and [[Christian Democrats]] within the party tend to advocate the [[Social Market Economy]], which supports free markets alongside social and environmental responsibility, as well a welfare state. Joseph was the first to introduce the model idea into British politics, writing the publication: ''Why Britain needs a Social Market Economy''.

{{Toryism|expanded=related}}