PROMOTING WORKING-CLASS CANDIDATURE IN THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY: THE LIMITS OF CENTRAL OFFICE POWER.

The article brings fresh evidence to bear on the debate about centralization of decentralization of power within the Conservative Party in Great Britain by casting new light on Central Office efforts to secure Conservative working-class members of the Parliament. It then demonstrates that both central pressure and constituency resistance throughout most of the 20th century have been much greater than has been realized previously. The implications of this to the debate about central control and constituency autonomy within the party is assessed.