1922 Committee

The Conservative Private Members (1922) Committee is an important but elusive force in British politics. Despite becoming almost a household name during the leadership crises of 2022, it remains little understood beyond the corridors of Westminster.Established in 1923 by a group of Conservative MPs elected the year before, the Committee offers backbenchers an opportunity to discuss their views and coordinate independently of the frontbench. Over time it has become the kingmaker of the Conservative Party, overseeing leadership elections and confidence votes such as that faced by Boris Johnson over ‘partygate’.How did the Committee come together? How is it structured and how much power does it really wield? These are among the questions the book considers. Providing unprecedented insights into this long-standing institution, it is essential reading for anyone who cares about the integrity of our political system.

'The 1922 is probably the most significant body in British politics that almost no one knows anything about – and what they do think they know is probably wrong. Philip Norton does a superb job at disentangling myth from reality.'Philip Cowley, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of London'Nobody knows more about parliament, or about the Conservative Party, than Philip Norton. So he is the perfect guide to the little-understood but increasingly newsworthy 1922 Committee. This meticulously researched history illustrates how much of parliament’s most important influence really goes on behind the scenes.'Meg Russell, Professor of British and Comparative Politics, University College London 'This highly insightful and accessible book sheds important new light on the history, organisation and politics of the Conservatives' backbench 1922 Committee. Drawing on his decades of experience observing and analysing parliamentary politics, Philip Norton reveals how the Committee works, its day-to-day power and its occasional role in terminating premierships.'Isabelle Hertner, Senior Lecturer in Politics, King’s College London

Philip Norton is Professor of Government at the University of Hull and sits in the House of Lords as Lord Norton of Louth