The European Foundation is a Eurosceptic

think tank A think tank, or public policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governme ...

based in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, founded in 1992. It is chaired by Bill Cash, a British

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

MP. The organisation produces the European Journal. The College Street Group was formed in October 1992 in order to oppose the Maastricht Treaty. The Group, consisting of politicians, academics, businessmen, lawyers, and economists, provided briefs in the campaign to win the arguments both in Parliament and in the country. The European Foundation was created out of Great College Street by Bill Cash after the Maastricht debates. It conducted a campaign in the UK to leave the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

. It was reported in 1996 that the European Foundation was being funded by Sir James Goldsmith the then leader of the British Referendum Party. Because there was an approaching election at which Conservative and Referendum candidates would be contesting the same seats, Cash was forced to sever the link. The shortfall in funding was plugged by

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...

, who later became the European Foundation's Patron, a position she held until her death.

Office holders

*Former Patron: Baroness Thatcher *Chairman: Sir Bill Cash MP *European Director: Dr Paola del Bigio *Head of Research and Editor of the European Journal: Margarida Vasconcelos

Former Office Holders

* Iain Duncan Smith

References

External links

Official web site
{{Authority control Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom Foreign policy and strategy think tanks based in the United Kingdom Political and economic research foundations Political and economic think tanks based in the United Kingdom Think tanks established in 1992 1992 establishments in the United Kingdom