History

1974

CPS established by Keith Joseph to "convert the Tory Party" to economic liberalism. Margaret Thatcher joined the Centre as Deputy Chairman. Alfred Sherman, another key figure at the time, described the purpose of the CPS as being to "question the unquestioned, think the unthinkable, blaze new trails."

June: The first of Keith Joseph's seminal speeches on economic policy - at Upminster. He attacked both Labour and Conservative Governments for "thirty years of Socialistic fashion... thirty years of interventions; thirty years of good intentions; thirty years of disappointment."

September: Keith Joseph's speech at Preston, 'Inflation is caused by governments', outlines a monetarist counter-inflationary policy. Described by Margaret Thatcher as "one of the very few speeches which have fundamentally affected a political generation's way of thinking."

October: General election - Labour majority of three

1975

February: Margaret Thatcher elected leader of the Conservative Party

June: EEC referendum

CPS publications included 'Why Britain Needs a Social Market Economy'.

1976

March: Callaghan replaces Wilson as Labour leader

December: Healey's mini-Budget and IMF Letter of Intent

CPS publications included 'Stranded on the Middle Ground' - a collection of some of Keith Joseph's key speeches and 'Myths and Magic' by Jock Bruce-Gardyne, a key exposition of the new monetarist thinking. 'Upper Clyde Shipbuilders' by Frank Broadway, on the failures of subsidies, was part of the sea change in Conservative thinking on industrial policy

1978

Summer: 'Labour Isn't Working' Conservative Party advertising campaign

CPS publishes 'Monetarism: an essay in definition' by Tim Congdon and 'Second Thoughts on Full Employment Policy' by Samuel Brittan'. 'Conditions for Fuller Employment' by Keith Joseph argues that "The combination of government over-spending, overtaxing, overborrowing and over-regulating destroys jobs".

1979

Winter of Discontent

March: Labour Government loses a vote of confidence

May: Conservatives win General Election with 43 seat majority

1980

October: Margaret Thatcher's 'the lady's not for turning' speech at Conservative Party Conference

November: Ronald Reagan elected US President

CPS publishes 'The New Conservatism' by Nigel Lawson and 'The Challenge of a Radical Reactionary' by Lord Harris of High Cross. The Centre's Trade Union Reform Committee publishes a range of proposals for reforming Britain's union laws, setting the agenda for future Government action.

1981

March: Formation of the SDP

CPS publications include 'Against Import Controls' by Tim Congdon, 'The Economic Adviser's Role' by Alan Walters and 'The Litmus Papers: A National Health Dis-service' - a collection of essays on health reform edited by Arthur Seldon.

1982

April - June: Falklands War

CPS publishes 'The Right to Learn' - a ground-breaking report on standards, parental choice and devolution of power to schools. 'Telecommunications in Britain' calls for the privatisation of BT and the introduction of competition to the sector.

1983

June: General Election. Conservative majority 144

CPS publishes 'Power to the People' by Anthony Flew, one of the earliest serious discussions of parental choice in education.

1984

March: Coal strike began

October: Brighton bomb

November: Flotation of British Telecom

CPS publishes 'Making it Work: the future of the European Community' - the first report of the CPS' Study Group on the European Community.

1986

CPS publishes 'Shares for All: steps towards a share-owning society' by Sir Nicholas Goodison

1987

June: General Election. Conservative majority 102

October: 'Black Monday'.

A comprehensive series of CPS reports on the next steps in the privatisation agenda examines the sectors of rail, electricity, coal and the Royal Mail. 'The Good Council Guide' lays out an agenda for local government reform, based on the successes of Wandsworth Council.

1989

November: Fall of the Berlin Wall

CPS publishes 'Nationalised Universities' by Deepak Lal, which called for an end to Government control over universities.

1990

October: Britain joins the ERM

November: Margaret Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister, replaced by John Major

CPS publications include 'Teachers Mistaught' by Sheila Lawlor on reform of teacher training structures.

1992

April: General Election. Conservative majority 21.

November: 'Black Wednesday' - Britain leaves ERM

CPS publishes 'Privatisation Everywhere' by John Moore, showing how the model pioneered by the Thatcher Government had become a blueprint for other countries.

1993

CPS publishes 'Testing Time: the future of the National Curriculum' by John Marenbon, a call for thorough reform of the Curriculum.

1996

CPS publications include 'The Performance of Privatised Industries' - a detailed statistical analysis which showed the positive benefits of privatisation.

Lady Thatcher delivers the first CPS Keith Joseph Memorial Lecture.

1997

May: General Election. Labour majority 179.

A number of CPS publications, including 'Blue Skies Ahead', outlined practical steps for the Conservative Party to renew itself after electoral collapse.

1998

April: Good Friday Agreement

CPS publishes 'More Damage to the Family' by Patricia Morgan, part of a series of reports on the demise of family life and its consequences for society.

1999

May/July: Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament open

CPS publications include 'After the Landslide: learning the lessons from 1906 and 1945' by David Willetts MP and Richard Forsdykem 'The War of Independence' by Lord Saatchi and Peter Warburton on radical welfare reform and 'The End of Illiteracy' by Tom Burkard

2001

CPS publishes 'Poor People! Stop Paying Tax!' by Maurice Saatchi and Peter Warburton which advocated a simpler tax system and 'Welcome To The Asylum' by Harriet Sergeant which argued for a fairer immigration policy.

June: UK General Election, Labour win with majority of 83.

September: 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington.

October: US and UK troops enter Afghanistan.

2002

January: Euro Enters Circulation.

2003

CPS publishes 'The European Constitution' by David Heathcoat-Amory MP which highlighted the risk to national sovereignty that the EU poses.

March: Invasion of Iraq.

2004

CPS publishes 'Why Britain Cannot Afford Not To Cut Taxes' by Lord Blackwell.

2005

May: UK General Election, Labour win with majority of 31.

July: 7/7 terrorist attacks in London.

2007

CPS publishes 'Greater Transparency for UK Retail Banking' by Andrew Tyrie MP which argued that banks should reveal all their charges to the consumers.

June: Tony Blair resigns as Prime Minister.

September: Northern Rock collapses and is nationalised 5 months later.

2008

October: Government spend £850bn bailing out RBS, Lloyds TSB and HBOS.

November: Obama elected President of USA.

2009

CPS publishes 'Re-empower the Bank of England' by Sir Martin Jacomb advocating a reduction in the powers of the FSA and an increase in the Bank of England's influence.

March: Bank of England announces first round of quantitative easing and injects £200bn into the economy.