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{{reorganize|date=March 2024}}
{{Short description|Conservative party headquarters}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|CCHQ|GCHQ}}
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{{Infobox organization
| name = Conservative Campaign Headquarters
| named_after =
| image = 4, Matthew Parker Street, St James - geograph.org.uk - 2510868.jpg
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| predecessor = Conservative Central Office
| merged =
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| formation = 1871 C&UCO
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| extinction = <!-- use {{end date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
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| location = 4 Matthew Parker Street, Westminster, London SW1H 9HQ
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| region = [[United Kingdom]]
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| leader_title = [[Conservative Party chairman|Chairman]]
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| leader_title2 = Deputy Chair
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*[[Jack Lopresti]], [[Nickie Aiken]], [[Luke Hall (politician)|Luke Hall]] and [[Matt Vickers]]}}
| board_of_directors =
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| parent_organisation = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]]▼
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▲| parent_organisation = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]]
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}}{{Conservatism UK}}
The '''Conservative Campaign Headquarters''' ('''CCHQ'''), formerly known as '''Conservative Central Office''' ('''CCO'''), is the [[headquarters]] of the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], housing its central staff and committee members, including
▲The '''Conservative Campaign Headquarters''' ('''CCHQ'''), formerly known as '''Conservative Central Office''' ('''CCO'''), is the [[headquarters]] of the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], housing its central staff and committee members, including liars, untruthers, [[Britain First]] members, campaign coordinators and managers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.conservatives.com/work-for-us|title=Work for Us|website=www.conservatives.com}}</ref> As of June 2022 [[Ben Elliot]] is the [[Chairman of the Conservative Party]].
==Campaigning==
CCHQ is responsible for all campaigning of the Conservative Party, though it delegates responsibility for local campaigns to constituency Conservative Associations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conservatives.com/Members/Party-Structure-and-Organisation|title=Party Structure and Organisation|access-date=2018-01-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005230159/https://www.conservatives.com/Members/Party-Structure-and-Organisation|archive-date=2016-10-05|url-status=dead}}</ref> It maintains overall responsibility for targeting voters and seats, including shortlisting and finalising the selection of Conservative candidates across the United Kingdom for local and national elections.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-politics/10141802/How-to-become-a-Tory-MP.html|title=Right Honourable Girlfriend: How to become a Tory MP|first=Jessica Lee|last=MP|date=26 June 2013|
Following the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]] in which the Conservative Party did not do as well as had been expected, CCHQ was described as “rusty” and less effective
CCHQ is used as a phone bank for volunteers, and is most active at [[general election]]s and some [[by-elections]].<ref name="conservatives.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.conservatives.com/calling|title=I'm making calls to secure the strong and stable leadership we need to see us through Brexit and beyond. Join me|access-date=2018-01-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102073000/https://www.conservatives.com/calling|archive-date=2018-01-02|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conservatives.com/copelandcchq|title=By-election Calling|website=www.conservatives.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conservatives.com/byelectionlocal|title=By-election Calling|website=www.conservatives.com}}</ref> The CCHQ Voter Communications Team also coordinates and manages data from local Conservative call centres.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-41728710|title=Watchdog warns Tories over call centre|work=BBC News|date=23 October 2017}}</ref>▼
The CCHQ Activist Centre, which is the section of CCHQ
▲Following the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]] in which the Conservative Party did not do as well as had been expected, CCHQ was described as “rusty” and less effective as it had been during previous elections in coordinating and managing its campaign.<ref name="conservativehome.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.conservativehome.com/majority_conservatism/2017/09/our-cchq-election-audit-the-rusty-machine-part-two-how-and-why-the-ground-campaign-failed.html|title=Our CCHQ election audit: the rusty machine, part two. How and why the ground campaign failed.|website=Conservative Home}}</ref>
===Phone bank===
The call centre in [[Neath]] was the subject of scrutiny by [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|The Electoral Commission]] following an investigation by ''[[The Guardian]]'' over alleged breach of marketing rules at a phone bank at Neath in Wales, which had employed paid staff to do its calling instead of volunteers and is alleged to have bribed some staff for underhand calling tactics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/aug/25/police-confirm-inquiry-into-tory-election-call-centre-use|title=Police confirm inquiry into Tory election call centre use|last=Morris|first=Steven|date=25 August 2017|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/oct/24/tories-rebuked-over-call-centres-actions-in-general-election|title=Tories rebuked over breach of marketing rules in general election|first=Rowena|last=Mason|date=23 October 2017|website=the Guardian}}</ref> Subsequent allegations have also been reported about the conduct of other Conservative staff.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/16/conservatives-fined-70000-mp-reported-police-following-investigation/|title=Conservatives fined £70,000 and MP reported to the police following an investigation into election campaign expenses|first=Laura|last=Hughes|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=16 March 2017|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref>▼
▲CCHQ is used as a phone bank for volunteers, and is most active at [[general election]]s and some [[By-election|by-elections]].<ref name="conservatives.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.conservatives.com/calling|title=I'm making calls to secure the strong and stable leadership we need to see us through Brexit and beyond. Join me|access-date=2018-01-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102073000/https://www.conservatives.com/calling|archive-date=2018-01-02|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conservatives.com/copelandcchq|title=By-election Calling|website=www.conservatives.com|access-date=2018-01-01|archive-date=2018-01-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102073155/https://www.conservatives.com/copelandcchq|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conservatives.com/byelectionlocal|title=By-election Calling|website=www.conservatives.com|access-date=2018-01-01|archive-date=2018-01-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102072932/https://www.conservatives.com/byelectionlocal|url-status=dead}}</ref> The CCHQ Voter Communications Team also coordinates and manages data from local Conservative call centres.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-41728710|title=Watchdog warns Tories over call centre|work=BBC News|date=23 October 2017}}</ref>
▲The call centre
The CCHQ phone bank, uses the Conservative Party's online calling database, ‘’Votesource’’.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://votesource.uk| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150314202222/http://votesource.uk/| archive-date = 2015-03-14| title = Web Site Blocked}} </ref> This database was created in-house, but has not always functioned efficiently.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.conservativehome.com/tag/votesource|title=VoteSource|website=Conservative Home}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conservatives.com/calling|title=I'm making calls to secure the strong and stable leadership we need to see us through Brexit and beyond. Join me|access-date=2018-01-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102073000/https://www.conservatives.com/calling|archive-date=2018-01-02|url-status=dead}}</ref>▼
▲The CCHQ phone bank
▲The CCHQ Activist Centre which is the section of CCHQ which provides guidance to local Conservative Associations and candidates was closed down following the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]], with resources now being distributed directly by staff rather than passively through the online database to external Conservative staff.<ref name="conservatives.com1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.conservatives.com/Activistcentre|title=Activist Centre}}</ref>
==Location==
=== 1912–1958: Abbey House ===
Until 1958, Conservative Central Office was based at Abbey House, [[Victoria, London|Victoria Street, London]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}
=== 1958–2004: 32 Smith Square ===
On 6 March 2007, CCHQ moved again, this time to [[Millbank Tower|30 Millbank]], part of the property portfolio of [[David and Simon Reuben]]. On 10 February 2014, CCHQ moved to its current location at 4 Matthew Parker Street. They rent the ground and basement floors of the commercial property.▼
[[File:32 Smith Square, Westminster (geograph 4520887).jpg|thumb|32 Smith Square, now Europe House, used between 1958 and 2004]]
CCO then moved to 32 [[Smith Square]]. This was the scene of multiple televised historic moments and symbolic photographs, including for the election victories of [[Margaret Thatcher]] and [[John Major]], though later began to be associated with party infighting.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stamp |first=Gavin |date=2012-07-30 |title=Postcode lottery? How EU entered historic Conservative address |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-19046445 |access-date=2024-01-24 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=2004-07-22 |title=Conservatives depart historic HQ |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3916085.stm |access-date=2024-01-24 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tempest |first=Matthew |date=2003-11-11 |title=Tories set to sell off Smith Square HQ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/nov/11/conservatives.uk1 |access-date=2024-01-24 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In the 1980s, the Conservatives signed a lease for the property with a rent of {{Currency|1|GBP}} per year, which made the buildng unable to be developed into luxury flats or offices.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Hencke |first=David |last2=correspondent |first2=Westminster |date=2007-02-09 |title=Tories make £15m profit from sale of old Smith Square HQ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/feb/09/uk.conservatives |access-date=2024-01-24 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
The party initially announced it would sell the premises in 2003,<ref name=":1" /> though in 2004 decided to keep its lease with plans to redevelop the building.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2004-04-21 |title=Tories set date for changing HQ |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3647037.stm |access-date=2024-01-24 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> The party agreed to move to "new, more suitable premises as soon as possible", with then Shadow Home Secretary [[David Davis (British politician)|David Davis]] stating it had "got old and we need to find rather more purpose-built accommodation for modern use".<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2003-11-11 |title=Conservatives to sell London HQ |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3260953.stm |access-date=2024-01-24 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> The premises and their adjoining building were eventually sold in February 2007, raising {{Currency|15 million|GBP|passthrough=yes}}.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":3" /> The [[European Commission]] and [[European Parliament]] jointly bought the house in 2010, renaming it Europe House,<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Boffey |first=Daniel |date=2018-05-03 |title=EU defies Tory Brexiters in leaked plan to retain Westminster offices |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/03/eu-plans-to-retain-westminster-offices-former-tory-hq |access-date=2024-01-24 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> and it has since acted as the [[delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom]]. In 2017, Conservative MPs and [[Brexiteer|Brexiteers]] such as [[Jacob Rees-Mogg]] and [[Conor Burns]] called for the house to be returned to the party,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Dallison |first=Paul |date=2017-02-27 |title=Tories call for EU to return Thatcher’s old HQ as part of Brexit deal |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/tories-call-for-eu-to-return-thatchers-old-hq-as-part-of-brexit-deal/ |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=[[Politico]] |language=en}}</ref> though a leaked memo from [[Klaus Welle]] suggested that Europe House would likely be kept by the EU.<ref name=":0" />
=== 2004–2007: 25 Victoria Street ===
Party co-chairman [[Liam Fox]] announced in April 2004 that the CCO would move to 25 Victoria Street following the [[2004 United Kingdom local elections]] in June for "modern, purpose-built accommodation and a superb working environment for staff to campaign and win forthcoming elections at a local, national and European levels." The move was initially planned to take place before the elections, but negotiations on the lease took longer than expected.<ref name=":2" /> The offices were notably positioned above a [[Starbucks]] coffee shop,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2004-02-11 |title=Better latte than never for Tories? |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3478753.stm |access-date=2024-01-24 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> and reportedly included a "war room" for the upcoming 2005 [[2005 United Kingdom general election|general election]].<ref name=":4" /> The building subsequently became known as Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ).{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}
=== 2007–2014: Millbank Tower ===
On 6 March 2007, CCHQ moved again, this time to [[Millbank Tower|30 Millbank]], part of the property portfolio of [[David and Simon Reuben]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}
=== 2014–present: 4 Matthew Parker Street ===
▲
==Establishment==
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==Incidents and controversies==
On 10 November 2010, 30 Millbank was attacked by student protesters as part of a [[2010
On 19 November 2014, demonstrators taking part in a free education demonstration in central London clashed with police outside 4 Matthew Parker Street, where the Conservative Campaign Headquarters relocated in February 2014.<ref>{{cite
In June 2017, following the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]], CCHQ was blamed for the worse-than-expected result, with a number of new appointments, such as new Conservative Director of Communications, [[Carrie Johnson|Carrie Symonds]]. Ms. Symonds claimed that there was "lots to do" in her new role.<ref name="conservativehome.com" /><ref>{{cite tweet |last=Symonds |first=Carrie |author-link=Carrie Symonds |user=carriesymonds |number=883607457133727745 |date=8 July 2017 |title=Very pleased to be joining CCHQ as Director of Comms. Lots to do. Can't wait to get started.|access-date= }}</ref>
==="factcheckUK"===
On 19 November 2019, for the duration of a televised leadership debate between the leader [[Boris Johnson]] and his [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] counterpart [[Jeremy Corbyn]], hosted by [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] in the run up to the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]], the CCHQ press office's Twitter page (@CCHQPress) was renamed
Conservative Party chairman [[James Cleverly]] defended it, stating "The Twitter handle of the CCHQ press office remained CCHQPress, so it's clear the nature of the site", and as "calling out when the Labour Party put what they know to be complete fabrications in the public domain".<ref name="BBCNews-19NOV19-factcheckUK" />
In response, the [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|
===="Tax Check UK"====
On 26 June 2024, the CCHQPress profile was renamed "Tax Check UK" during a leadership debate between [[Rishi Sunak]] and [[Keir Starmer]] hosted by ITV as part of the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]] campaign.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.itv.com/news/2024-06-26/tories-accused-of-misleading-voters-by-rebranding-x-account-tax-check-uk|title=Tories accused of 'misleading' voters by rebranding X account 'Tax Check UK'|last=Hockaday|first=James|date=2024-06-26|work=ITV News|access-date=2024-07-04|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
==References==
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{{UK Conservative Party}}
[[Category:Headquarters of political parties in the United Kingdom]]▼
[[Category:Organisation of the Conservative Party (UK)|Central Office]]
[[Category:1870 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
▲[[Category:Headquarters in the United Kingdom]]
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