Our organisation was founded in May 1969 as the European Forum, with David Baker as the founding chair. The previous month had seen the resignation from the French presidency of Charles De Gaulle, who had been the major opponent of UK entry into the European Community, and the European Forum was launched by Conservative MPs who favoured British membership.
Negotiations for accession began in June 1970, shortly after Edward Heath became Prime Minister following his against-the-odds general election victory. The European Forum did much to bring together Conservatives and members of like-minded parties in France, in order to increase mutual understanding and pave the way for British membership of the Community. These connections were vital in supporting Edward Heath’s crucial breakthrough negotiations with French President Georges Pompidou.
The European Forum’s first Annual General Meeting, held shortly after the 1970 general election victory, already counted fourteen MPs amongst those present. As membership negotiations with the EEC got fully underway, the forum changed its name to the more self-explanatory title of the Conservative Group for Europe (CGE). Around the same time, David Baker stood down as Chair in favour of Tufton Beamish MP, and in all there were ten MPs among the group’s committee and officers, with many more among the membership. Having an organised campaigning group helped to secure Party support and Parliamentary approval of British membership of the EEC – first achieved on 1st January 1973.
Our past Presidents are as follows:-
Rt Hon Sir Edward Heath KG MBE MP, 1970-1992
Sir Christopher Prout QC MEP, 1992-1995
Lord Howe of Aberavon, 1995-1998
Lord Hurd of Westwell CH CBE, 1998-2001
Rt Hon Lord Heseltine CH, 2001-2004
Rt Hon Lord Brittan of Spennithorne QC, 2004-2009
Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke CH QC MP, 2009-
Our previous Chairmen are as follows (including when the CGE was called the European Forum between 1967 and 1970):-
David Baker, 1967-1970
Col Sir Tufton Beamish MC DL MP, 1970-1973
Sir Gilbert Longden MBE MP, 1973-1976
James Spicer MP, 1976-1979
David Hunt MBE, 1981-1982
Beryl Goldsmith, 1982-1985
Ian Taylor MBE, 1985-1988
Gyde Horrocks, 1988
John Butterfill MP, 1988-1991
Robert Walter, 1991-1994
Edwina Currie MP, 1994-1997
Rt Hon John Gummer MP, 1997-2000
Rt Hon Lord Brittan of Spennithorne QC, 2000-2003
Rt Hon David Curry MP, 2003-2006
Quentin Davies MP, 2006-2007
Ian Taylor MBE MP, 2007-2011
John Bowis, 2011-2014
Neil Carmichael MP, 2014-2017
The Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP, 2017-