University of York Conservative and Unionist Association

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The University of York Conservative and Unionist Association, commonly known as the York Tories, is a student political group at the University of York. It was founded in 1963 and sits independently from the national Conservative Party, though it is affiliated with the party and with the University of York Students’ Union. The group is based in Derwent College.

What they do
The York Tories run events during term time, mainly on Wednesdays and Fridays. Wednesday events are usually social, such as pub visits, and also include policy discussions like Port & Policy and Pint & Policy. Friday events are generally quieter or more intellectual, including movie nights, debates, quizzes, board games, talks, and dinners. The Garden of India curry house has often hosted members after events. Port & Policy is the association’s most popular event. Attendees typically can enjoy free port, and the group encourages open debate without fear of retribution by prohibiting recordings. Motions discussed at evenings are voted on by members.

Governance
The association is led by a committee elected at the AGM at the end of the Winter Term. All committee members must be members of the association, and positions can be changed at general meetings. In addition to the main committee, the association elects an Honorary President, an Honorary Vice-President, and three Honorary Members for Life. By convention, former chairs automatically become Honorary Life Members. The current officers include Chairman Jeremy Hehir (Goodricke College), Treasurer E.R. Waters (Vanbrugh College), and Secretary Luke Draper (Vanbrugh College). The Honorary President is Princess Anne, and the Honorary Vice-President is Rory Stewart.

Connections and history
The York Tories maintain close ties with northern university conservative groups, such as those at Durham, Newcastle, and Northumbria. They participate in the annual Primrose Dinner with the Newcastle Conservative Society. Over the years, the group has hosted notable figures and faced several controversies. In the past, Enoch Powell was invited to speak twice, which required heavy police protection. The association was also involved with Radio 270, a pirate radio station, for political broadcasts.

Notable past controversies include a 1996 website hack that led to explicit content and defamatory material about the Conservative Party, which prompted an investigation. In 2013, the Fox Hunt pub crawl faced strong backlash for its theme and safety concerns, leading to cancellation after protests from VegSoc and FemSoc. The event was later revived with a revised format. The Hagueathon in 2014 drew criticism for encouraging binge drinking, though it continued. In 2017 the group invited MP Philip Davies, prompting debate about misogyny and free speech. In 2018, chairman Robert Ward co-signed a letter about the Chequers plan. The Fox Hunt caused further controversy in 2020, and a planned dinner with Desmond Swayne in 2022 was halted amid concerns about blackface and the environment for BAME students.

This is how the York Tories operate today: a student-run, university-based political society that aims to balance social activity with political discussion, while navigating the challenges and debates that come with public political life.