Common Sense Group

The Common Sense Group is an informal group of MPs in the British Conservative Party. The Guardian described it as a hard-right group that was sympathetic to culture wars.

The group was inspired by the euro-sceptic European Research Group and has published a book, Common Sense: Conservative Thinking for a Post-Liberal Age.

History
The Guardian said in November 2020 that the group "launched quietly in the summer with about 40 members ... and now has 59 MPs and 7 members of the House of Lords in its ranks". Its president is Edward Leigh MP.

Following an interim report on the connections between colonialism and properties now in the care of the National Trust, including links with historic slavery, members of the group signed a letter to The Telegraph in November 2020. The letter accused the National Trust of being "coloured by cultural Marxist dogma, colloquially known as the woke agenda".

The group's manifesto, Common Sense: Conservative Thinking for a Post-Liberal Age, was published in May 2021. John Hayes MP wrote in the Preface, "With opportunities provided by Brexit, the time for a refreshed national conversation on the defining issues of our time – nationhood, community, migration, the rule of law and public order – is now."

Members
Members of the group include:

Members of Parliament: • Gareth Bacon

• Bob Blackman

• Ben Bradley

• Fiona Bruce

• Brendan Clarke-Smith

• Philip Davies

• Nick Fletcher

• Jonathan Gullis

• Sally-Ann Hart

• John Hayes

• Tom Hunt

• Danny Kruger

• Pauline Latham

• Edward Leigh

• Andrew Lewer

• Chris Loder

• Marco Longhi

• Craig Mackinlay

• Karl McCartney

• Robin Millar

• David Morris

• Joy Morrissey

• Andrew Rosindell

• Alexander Stafford

• James Sunderland

• Martin Vickers

• Giles Watling

• William Wragg

Members of the House of Lords: • Baroness Eaton

• Lord Horam of Grimsargh

• Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts

• Lord Lilley

Others: • Michael Nazir-Ali (former Anglican Bishop)

• David Maddox (journalist)

• David Burrowes (former MP)

Lee Anderson was formerly a member of the group, prior to his defection to Reform UK.