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General
Organisations

On this page:

Foundations
NATO
European Union
United Nations
Commonwealth
G6, G7, G8 ... etc.
People
Organisations: A–M
Organisations: N–Z
Other

Organisations

Some of these, strictly speaking, would be better described as institutions rather than organisations.

Foundations

Founded in 1090 by Hasan–I–Sabah; rewarded with hashish Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1660 by Charles II to promote scientific research Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1750 at the Star & Garter Coffee House, Pall Mall Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1755 by Sir Francis Dashwood Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1824 by Sir William Hilary Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1824 following a meeting in Old Slaughter's Coffee House, London, which was chaired by Thomas Fowell Buxton MP Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1844 in London by George Williams Click to show or hide the answer
Formed in 1863 as a result of Jean–Henri Dunant's book Un souvenir de Solferino (1862) – describing the suffering of thousands of wounded soldiers of the Battle of Solferino in 1859 Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1866, and named after an 18th century penal reformer: the world's oldest penal reform organisation Click to show or hide the answer
First met in 1868 at the Manchester Mechanics' Institute (on what is now Princess Street) Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1883 by Sir William Smith in Glasgow Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1888 in Washington DC: characteristic logo is a yellow rectangular frame Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1891 by the merger of the Plumage League (founded in 1889 in Manchester, by ladies who pledged not to wear feathers in their hats) and the Fur, Fin and Feather Folk (founded around the same time in Croydon) merged; gained its Royal charter in 1904 Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Canon H. D. Rawnsley Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1896 as the Union of Ethical Societies; adopted its current name in 2017 Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1897 as Our Dumb Friends' League (animal charity) Click to show or hide the answer
Formed in 1905 to provide scouts to warn motorists of police patrols Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1905 in Chicago by Paul P. Harris: the first Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in Manchester in 1905, by six women including Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel; adopted a colour scheme of "purple for loyalty and dignity, white for purity, and green for hope" Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1907 by Robert Baden–Powell Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1910 by Agnes Baden–Powell, his younger sister, on his initiative Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1915 by Tubby Clayton, for British soldiers in Belgium Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1916 on the initiative of department store magnate (Lewis) Rodman Wanamaker Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1917 by Maria Dickin Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1919 by sisters Eglantine Jebb and Dorothy Buxton Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1921 by Ernest Bevin Click to show or hide the answer
First planned in 1914, when delegates from 24 countries met at the invitation of Prince Albert I of Monaco; officially founded in 1923 in Vienna; headquarters moved to Berlin in 1942, St. Cloud (Paris) in 1945, Lyon in 1989 Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1924 by Henry Amos and Ernest Bell Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1926 by Eamon de Valera Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1928 by John Flynn (Australian non–profit organisation) Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1935 by William Wilson ('Bill W') and 'Dr. Bob' Smith of Ohio; an early adopter of the so–called Serenity Prayer (written by American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr) Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1942 by Canon Richard Milford (and others), to provide relief for victims of famine caused by the Axis occupation of Greece Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1946 at Lincoln College, Oxford, by Roland Berrill (an Australian barrister) and Lancelot Ware (a British scientist and lawyer) Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1946 by Peter Scott (as the Severn Wildfowl Trust); headquarters (then and now) at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1953 by Anglican priest Chad Varah Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1958 by Alec Dunn (died 1994) Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1961 by lawyer Peter Benenson Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1963 in Addis Ababa Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1969, in California, by David Brower (died 2000) Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1971 by the Rev. Ian Paisley (political party) Click to show or hide the answer
Patrick Moore (but not the famous British astronomer and broadcaster) was one of the principal founders (Canada, 1971) of Click to show or hide the answer
Political party founded in 1983 by David Edward Sutch, a.k.a. Screaming Lord Sutch Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1995 as the successor to GATT; headquarters in Geneva Click to show or hide the answer
Political party founded in 2015 by former journalist and author Catherine Mayer and TV presenter Sandi Toksvig; first leader is Sophie Walker Click to show or hide the answer
Political party founded in April 2016 by Emmanuel Macron – formerly a senior advisor to François Hollande, and Finance Minister in his government – who was elected as President of France 13 months later Click to show or hide the answer

Founder of the Modern Hospice movement Click to show or hide the answer

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington DC Click to show or hide the answer
Treaty comes into effect Click to show or hide the answer

The twelve founding members

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The next two to join (18 February 1952)

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Other

Joined in 2017 as the 29th member – the first since Albania and Croatia in 2009 Click to show or hide the answer

The European Union (and its forerunners)

Treaties

Signed Effective Measures Name
Mar 1957 Jan 1958 Established the European Economic Community Click to show or hide the answer
Feb 1992 Nov 1991 Created the European Union and the euro Click to show or hide the answer
Oct 1997 May 1999 Amended the previous treaty, devolving powers from national governments to the European Parliament in several areas Click to show or hide the answer
Feb 2001 Feb 2003 Designed to facilitate the entry of Eastern European countries Click to show or hide the answer
Dec 2007 Dec 2009 Includes the famous Article 50, setting out the process for withdrawal from the Union Click to show or hide the answer

Members

The six founder members of both the European Coal and Steel Community (1952) and the European Economic Community (1957) were, in alphabetical order:

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Left in 1962 (on gaining independence from France) Click to show or hide the answer
Joined on 1 January 1973 (making 9 members) Click to show or hide the answer
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Voted by referendum not to join, in 1973 Click to show or hide the answer
Joined in 1981 (10th member) Click to show or hide the answer
Left in 1985 (6 years after independence from Denmark) Click to show or hide the answer
Joined in 1986 (11th and 12th members) Click to show or hide the answer
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Joined in 1995 (making 15 members) Click to show or hide the answer
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The following ten countries joined in 2004, bringing the number of members up to 25:

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Joined in 2007 (26th and 27th members) Click to show or hide the answer
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Joined in 2013 (28th member) Click to show or hide the answer

Article of the Treaty of Lisbon (signed in 2007, effective 2009) that sets out the process for withdrawal from the Union Click to show or hide the answer
The UK formally left the European Union on (date) Click to show or hide the answer

United Nations

UN Secretaries General

Years Name Nationality Died
1946–53 Click to show or hide the answer Click to show or hide the answer 1968
1953–61 Click to show or hide the answer Click to show or hide the answer 1961
1962–71 Click to show or hide the answer Click to show or hide the answer 1974
1972–81 Click to show or hide the answer Click to show or hide the answer 2007
1982–91 Click to show or hide the answer Click to show or hide the answer 2020
1992–97 Click to show or hide the answer Click to show or hide the answer 2016
1997–2006 Click to show or hide the answer Click to show or hide the answer 2018
2007–17 Click to show or hide the answer Click to show or hide the answer  
2017– Click to show or hide the answer Click to show or hide the answer  

UN Security Council

Permanent members Click to show or hide the answer
Non–permanent members Click to show or hide the answer
Total Click to show or hide the answer

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are:

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Original number of member states (24 October 1945) Click to show or hide the answer
Number of member states (since South Sudan joined in 2011, and not counting the two observer states, Palestine and the Holy See) Click to show or hide the answer
UN organisation with one representative from each member state Click to show or hide the answer

The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth of Nations was formally established in 1931 by the Statute of Westminster, which established the independence of the self–governing Dominions of the British Empire: Canada, Australia, Pakistan, India, Malta, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State. The last of these never adopted the Statute (see below).

Other British colonies became eligible to apply for membership following independence. Burma, and several states in the Middle East and North Africa, chose not to apply.

Two countries have joined the Commonwealth despite never having had any constitutional link to Britain or any other member:

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For more details, see below.

Number of countries in the Commonwealth Click to show or hide the answer
Joined in 1995, 35 years after independence Click to show or hide the answer
Joined in 1961 following independence in 1960 Click to show or hide the answer
Membership lapsed in 1987 after a military coup imposed a constitution contrary to Commonwealth principles; returned in 1997, after starting constitutional reform; suspended again in 2009 Click to show or hide the answer
Withdrew in 2013 Click to show or hide the answer
Formally left in 1949 when it declared itself a republic Click to show or hide the answer
Joined in 1982, 17 years after independence Click to show or hide the answer
Joined in 1995, 20 years after independence from Portugal Click to show or hide the answer
First country to be suspended (1995); suspension lifted 1999 Click to show or hide the answer
Left in 1972, when other member countries recognised Bangladesh; returned after the democratic elections of 1989; suspended following the overthrow of the democratically elected government in October 1999; readmitted in 2004, but suspended again in 2007 "pending the restoration of democracy and the rule of law"; readmitted in 2008 Click to show or hide the answer
Joined in 2009, 47 years after independence from Belgium Click to show or hide the answer
Joined in 1970, 8 years after independence Click to show or hide the answer
Withdrew in 1961 when it became clear that its reapplication for membership on becoming a republic would be rejected; readmitted in 1994 after democratic elections took place Click to show or hide the answer
Suspended in 2002 following a controversial presidential election; withdrew in 2003 Click to show or hide the answer

G6, G7, G8 ... etc.

The Group of Six (G6) was formed in 1975 as an unofficial forum, bringing together the heads of the world's six richest industrialized countries. The first G6 summit was held (in 1975) at the Château de Rambouillet, on the outskirts of Paris.

Two countries joined the G6 in later years, turning it into the G7 and then the G8. The eighth member was suspended in 2014 over its role in the Crimea crisis, since when the organisation has been once again known as the G7.

When the G6 was originally formed, there was already a rather less–known group, which was called the G10. This has its origins in an agreement made in 1962, under which ten members of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) set up something called the General Agreement to Borrow, or GAB, whose purpose was to make more funds available to the IMF. The G10 included the seven countries that would later make up the G7, plus three others. They were later joined by two more countries, making it the G12. Finally, in 1984, they were joined by a 13th country – but, just to confuse us even more, they kept the name G12.

G10 (1962) G6 (1975) G7 (1976) G12 (?) G12 (1984) G8 (1998)
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People

Appointed as the youngest ever Chief Scout, in 2009, aged 35 Click to show or hide the answer
First President of CND Click to show or hide the answer

Organisations A–M

Learned body on matters relating to the French language, established by Cardinal Richelieu in 1635 Click to show or hide the answer
First property acquired by the National Trust (1896) was in Click to show or hide the answer
UK–based charitable organisation, founded in 1979: symbol is the forget–me–not (organises the Forget Me Not Appeal in June each year) Click to show or hide the answer
A burning candle surrounded by barbed wire is the symbol of Click to show or hide the answer
The Blue Cross is a British charity, founded in 1897 to promote Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1989 by Iraq, Jordan, North Yemen and Egypt Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in Cairo, 1945, to co–ordinate economic, cultural, social and health affairs in Arab countries Click to show or hide the answer
Dignitas (Switzerland) and EXIT (based in Australia but with branches in other countries including Switzerland) exist to promote Click to show or hide the answer
Saddam Hussein's political party Click to show or hide the answer
Bliss, founded in 1979, is the UK's leading charity for Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Scout movement: boys and girls aged 6 to 8 – introduced in the 1960s and 70s, but not officially recognised until the 80s Click to show or hide the answer
Queen's Badge: highest award in the Click to show or hide the answer
States its mission as "To enrich people's lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain"Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1921: Earl (Douglas) Haig was its first president Click to show or hide the answer
Formerly known as Brown Owl Click to show or hide the answer
Welsh equivalent of English Heritage (the name is a Welsh word meaning 'keeping' or 'preservation') Click to show or hide the answer
First met in November 1957, following an article in New Statesman by J. B. Priestley criticising Aneurin Bevan's U–turn on nuclear disarmament. First Chairman was Canon John Collins, President was Bertrand Russell; executive committee included Priestley, Michael Foot, journalist James Cameron, and nuclear physicist Joseph Rotblat. RC priest Bruce Kent was Chair 1977–9 and 1987–90, General Secretary 1979–85 Click to show or hide the answer
Formed 1971 to oppose the growing mass production of beer and the homogenisation of the British brewing industry; now said to be the UK's largest single–issue consumer group; based in St. Albans, Hertfordshire Click to show or hide the answer
The brewing industry's initiative, founded in 1997, to halt the decline in real ale sales Click to show or hide the answer
Informal association of people whose lives have been saved by a parachute – named in recognition of the debt they owe to the creatures that made the silk threads Click to show or hide the answer
Branch of a printing or journalists' union Click to show or hide the answer
Charity founded in 1986 by TV presenter Esther Rantzen (as a result of a campaign run on her programme That's Life!); became part of the NSPCC in 2006 Click to show or hide the answer
Pudsey Bear is the mascot of Click to show or hide the answer
Set up in 1939 to help people affected by the war (World War II) with evacuation, bomb damage, rationing etc.; now run by a network of independent charities throughout the United Kingdom Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
In the UK, air traffic control is jointly governed by Click to show or hide the answer
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Headquarters are at Langley, Virginia; has its origins in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), founded during World War II and modelled on Britain's MI6 and Special Operations Executive (SOE) Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Principal fore–runner of the EEC: European Click to show or hide the answer
Fund–raising organisation for the Nixon administration, responsible for the Watergate break–in (the acronym CREEP was not officially used) Click to show or hide the answer
Intergovernmental organization formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, comprising all former Soviet republics except the Baltic states (which continue to regard their membership in the Soviet Union as an illegal occupation); Georgia withdrew in 2008, and Ukraine (effectively) in 2018 Click to show or hide the answer
Represented in parliament, 1945–50, by Philip Piratin and William Gallagher Click to show or hide the answer
London headquarters of the TUC (Great Russell Street) Click to show or hide the answer
Ruled India for its first 30 years of independence Click to show or hide the answer
Full name of the UK Conservative Party (since 1912) Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
STOPP is opposed to Click to show or hide the answer
Formerly known as the British Field Sports Society Click to show or hide the answer
Name for ISIL, coined by Syrian activists opposing it, and taken up by Western leaders (who encouraged the Western media to use it): formed by translating the name that in English forms the acronym ISIL, into Arabic, and forming an acronym (in Roman letters) from thatClick for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Women who can prove descent from someone who helped to achieve US independence Click to show or hide the answer
US political party: headquarters are Tammany Hall, New York, symbolised by a donkey Click to show or hide the answer
Name shared by a Swiss organisation involved in assisted suicides and an international organisation dedicated to preventing and treating AIDS Click to show or hide the answer
Medillin Cartel Click to show or hide the answer
Formed in Coventry, in 1972, as the PEOPLE Party; known from 1975 until 1985 (when it became the Green Party) as Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Formed in 1983 as an executive non–departmental public body of the British Government; became a charity in 2015; as of 2021, its portfolio includes Stonehenge, Dover Castle, Tintagel Castle and the best preserved parts of Hadrian's Wall Click to show or hide the answer
Logo has been described as "[suggesting] the plan of an ancient building with the buttresses shown as square protrusions around the exterior"
British actors' union Click to show or hide the answer
Boy Scouts aged 14 to 18 – replaced Venture Scouts 2003 Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1884, with the purpose of establishing a democratic socialist state in Great Britain, by evolution rather than revolution; named after a Roman general who advocated tactics of harassment and attrition rather than full–on battle; members included George Bernard Shaw, H. G. Wells and Virginia Woolf Click to show or hide the answer
Spanish political movement founded in 1933 by José Antonio Primo de Rivera (son of a former prime minister) – the name is a reference to a military formation used in ancient Greece; co–opted by Franco during the Civil War Click to show or hide the answer
Bundle of rods tied together with an axe in the middle: symbol of Click to show or hide the answer
The former London Society for Women's Suffrage has been known since 1953 (after the feminist activist who in 2018 became the first woman to be commemorated by a statue in Parliament Square) as the Click to show or hide the answer
In 2014, following ongoing corruption scandals, Sony and Emirates Airlines withdrew their sponsorship of Click to show or hide the answer
Italian political party founded in 2009 by comedian and blogger Beppe Grillo; in the 2018 general election, it became the largest individual party in the Italian Parliament and entered government Click to show or hide the answer
EFDSS (HQ at Cecil Sharp House, London): concerned with English Click to show or hide the answer
Formed at the Freemasons' Tavern, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, 1863 Click to show or hide the answer
Britain's largest landowner (over 2.5 million acres – about four times as much as the National Trust) – a "non–ministerial government department" Click to show or hide the answer
Claims to trace its origin to the building of Solomon's Temple; members required to profess a belief in the Great Architect of the Universe; logo is the "Square and Compass" Click to show or hide the answer
Forerunner to Hitler's German Nazi party (Hitler, then an army corporal, joined September 1919; name changed February 1920) Click to show or hide the answer
Supplies Bibles to be placed in hotel rooms worldwide Click to show or hide the answer
The UK's principal charity for single parent families – founded around 1970 by Tessa Fothergill, merged with the National Council for One Parent Families in 2007, relaunched as Gingerbread in 2009 Click to show or hide the answer
The Golden Trefoil is the symbol of (global organisation, founded in 1909) Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
The largest single employer in Gloucestershire; a building nicknamed The Doughnut, in the suburbs of Cheltenham, houses the main offices of Click to show or hide the answer
Copyright of Peter Pan was donated by J. M. Barrie in 1925 to Click to show or hide the answer
G–7, G–20. etc.: G stands for Click to show or hide the answer
Mediaeval association of Baltic and North Sea trading cities Click to show or hide the answer
Popular name for a number of supposed exclusive clubs for high society rakes in Britain and Ireland, 18th century – the first founded in London by Philip, Duke of Wharton in 1719, the most infamous by Sir Francis Dashwood c. 1749; motto "Fais ce que tu voudras" (Do what thou wilt) Click to show or hide the answer
Israeli right–wing party, founded in 1948 by Menachim Begin; merged with Likud (his new party) in 1988 Click to show or hide the answer
UK government department that administers the police, immigration and prisons Click to show or hide the answer
Julian Huxley (1963–5), George Melly (1972–74), Claire Rayner (1999–2004), Linda Smith (from 2004 until her death in 2006), Polly Toynbee (2007–13), Jim Al–Khalili (2013–16) and Shappi Khorsandi (2016–19) are all former presidents ofClick for more information Click to show or hide the answer
The full name of the Royal Society is The Royal Society for Click to show or hide the answer
Established by the Rome Statute of 1998; opened in 2002, in The Hague Click to show or hide the answer
Charity founded in 1996 by Camila Batmanghelidjh to support deprived inner city children; largely funded by government grants, it was wound up in 2015 Click to show or hide the answer
Official mark of approval of the British Standards Institution – registered as a trademark in 1903 Click to show or hide the answer
Political club of 18th century London, whose name inspired those of a confectionery brand and the fictional club featured in the musical Cabaret Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in the USA, in 1865 or 1866, by veterans of the Confederate army, seeking to overthrow the Republican state governments in the South, especially by using violence against African–American leaders; died out in the early 1870s, but re–established in 1915 following the success of D. W. Griffith's film Birth of a Nation; faded away in the 1940s, but revived in the 1950s (in localised, independent groups) in opposition to the Civil Rights movement; led by a Grand Wizard in the first incarnation (Nathan Bedford Forrest was the first), Imperial Wizard in the second; name is derived from the Greek word for 'circle' (kyklos) – first used by Plato to symbolise the cyclical nature of government Click to show or hide the answer
Founding and ruling party of the Republic of China (Taiwan): founded in 1894 by Sun Yat–sen Click to show or hide the answer
US President Woodrow Wilson and UK Under–Foreign Secretary Robert Cecil, assisted by South African defence minister Jan Smuts (also a member of the British War Cabinet) were the principal architects of the Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1934 (as the National Council for Civil Liberties, which remains its official name); Shami Chakrabarti was its Director from 2003 to 2016 Click to show or hide the answer
Israeli centre–right party: founded in 1973 by Menachim Begin, who became its first prime minister; Ariel Sharon left in 2005 to form Kadima; name means Consolidation Click to show or hide the answer
UK charity, founded in 1948: adopted the daffodil as its emblem in 1986; runs the Great Daffodil Appeal in March each year Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1777, voted to admit women members in 1998 Click to show or hide the answer
Humanitarian organisation, based in Geneva: formed in 1971 by a group of French doctors and journalists, in the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil WarClick for more information Click to show or hide the answer
The world's largest organisation for people with high IQs: name is Latin for 'table', to demonstrate its round–table nature – the coming together of equals Click to show or hide the answer
Sir John Sawers, in 2010, gave what he described as the first public address by the head of Click to show or hide the answer
Replaced the Milk Marketing Board in 1994 Click to show or hide the answer
General Strike, 1926: called in support of Click to show or hide the answer
The Meteorological Office is administered by the Click to show or hide the answer
Right–wing Tory pressure group, founded in the early 1960s in the belief that the Macmillan government had taken the party too far to the left, and with the aim "to evolve a dynamic application of traditional Tory principles"; dubbed by Harold Wilson, "guardian of the Tory conscience" Click to show or hide the answer
UK trade union, of which at one time 80 MPs were members; formed in 1988 by the merger of ASTMS and TASS; merged with the AEEU in 2001 to form Amicus, which in 2007 merged with the TGWU to form Unite; shares its initials with a humanitarian organisation based in Geneva Click to show or hide the answer

Organisations N–Z

Logo depicts oak leaves Click to show or hide the answer
The treaties of Dunkirk (4 March 1947) and Brussels (17th March 1948) were early steps towards the foundation on 4 April 1949 of Click to show or hide the answer
Popular name for the Conservative Private Members' Committee – the parliamentary group of the Conservative Party in the House of Commons, consisting of all Conservative backbench MPs; formed after a famous meeting at the Carlton Club, in which Conservative MPs successfully demanded that the party withdraw from Lloyd George's coalition government Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Children's club founded in 1935 around a show on Radio Luxembourg, and named after its sponsor Click to show or hide the answer
Benefited from the sale of the Duchess of Windsor's jewellery Click to show or hide the answer
US honorary society for distinguished scholars – name derived from the initial letters of the Greek for 'Philosophy is the guide to life' Click to show or hide the answer
Spanish political party, formed in 2014 by former university lecturer Pablo Iglesias: soon became the country's second largest party, by membership; name (previously used by parties in Venezuela and Bolivia) means 'we can' Click to show or hide the answer
Established in 1883, to promote Conservative principles in Britain – named in honour of Benjamin Disraeli, after his favourite flower; Lord Randolph Churchill (father of Sir Winston) was a founder member Click to show or hide the answer
President of Save the Children, since 1970 Click to show or hide the answer
In the Scout (Guiding) movement, girls aged 5 to 7 are known as Click to show or hide the answer
Moslem equivalent of the Red Cross Click to show or hide the answer
Musicians' collective, formed 1985 by Billy Bragg and Paul Weller, to support the Labour Party Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1997 by Sir James Goldsmith; failed to win any seats in the General Election (but did briefly hold one seat – see George Gardiner in Members of Parliament); ceased to exist soon after his death in July 1997 Click to show or hide the answer
Formerly the Marriage Guidance Council Click to show or hide the answer
US political party symbolised by an elephant Click to show or hide the answer
Political party founded in London in 2005, a.k.a. The Unity Coalition: George Galloway was one of its most prominent members, and its only MP, but at the height of its success in 2007 it also had nineteen councillors in local government; deregistered in 2016, after loss of support Click to show or hide the answer
Charitable organisation that took over responsibility for the annual Britain in Bloom competition from the British Tourist Board, in 2002 Click to show or hide the answer
Formed 1990 by the merger of NUR and NUS Click to show or hide the answer
Early 17th century philosophers who claimed occult powers (name derived from the Latin for 'rosy cross' Click to show or hide the answer
Headquarters in Sandy, Beds; TV presenter Kate Humble was appointed as its President in 2009 Click to show or hide the answer
Bought the Old Man of Hoy in 1983
Previous name of Blind Veterans UK – the charity that supports vision–impaired ex–Armed Forces and National Service personnel in the UK Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Effectively founded in 1877 to provide first aid training to railwaymen and colliers; a separate group was founded in 1887 to provide practical and life–saving work; these two merged in 1968 Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
Formed a Badgers branch in 1987 (to mark 100 years of providing first aid at public events) to train seven–to–ten–year–olds
Befrienders Worldwide is the international network associated with (UK–based organisation) Click to show or hide the answer
Formed in 1951 as the National Spastics Society; changed to its current name in 1994 Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1907 by Robert (later Baron) Baden–Powell Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1966 by the Rev. Bruce Kenrick, and coincidentally launched 10 days after the screening on BBC television of Ken Loach's social drama Cathy Come Home Click to show or hide the answer
Sean Connery's campaign to ban private ownership of firearms, following the 1996 Dunblane tragedy Click to show or hide the answer
Formed 1981 following the Limehouse Declaration Click to show or hide the answer
Formed by Arthur Scargill; first stood in Hemsley by–election, 1996 Click to show or hide the answer
Provides certification for organic farms and produce in the UK Click to show or hide the answer
Trade union that emerged in 1980 at the Gdańsk Shipyard, Poland, led by Lech Wałęsa: the first trade union in a Warsaw Pact country that was not controlled by the Communist Party Click to show or hide the answer
Laurel & Hardy appreciation society Click to show or hide the answer
Ceremonial guard of the Vatican City Click to show or hide the answer
Formed in 2004 as an alliance, founded as a party in 2012: took power in Greece in 2015 under Alexis Tsipras; name is an abbreviation of the Greek for 'Coalition of the Radical Left', and also an adverb meaning 'from the roots' or 'radically' Click to show or hide the answer
Strict Muslim movement that ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001 – name means 'students' Click to show or hide the answer
IBT, the largest trade union in the USA – represents transport workers – originally founded in 1903: International Brotherhood of Click to show or hide the answer
UK and Europe's largest HIV and AIDS charity: founded in 1983, named after the Hansard reporter who was one of the first people to die of AIDS in the UK Click to show or hide the answer
Formed 1915 by 'Tubby' Clayton, to fight loneliness and hate and encourage Christian comradeship; named after its headquarters (Talbot House) Click to show or hide the answer
Haitian militia controlled by Francois 'Papa Doc' Duvalier (created 1959 – named after a traditional bogeyman, known in English as 'Uncle Gunnysack' Click to show or hide the answer
The FDA (First Division Association) is a trade union for Click to show or hide the answer
Association of left–wing Labour MPs: took its name from the newspaper that it was formed to support, in 1964 (whose editors included Aneurin Bevan 1941–5 and Michael Foot 1955–60) Click to show or hide the answer
The official authority for lighthouses in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar Click to show or hide the answer
The Anti–Federalist League – founded in 1991 by Professor Alan Sked of LSE – changed its name in 1993 to Click to show or hide the answer
Britain's largest trade union: formed in 1993 by the merger of NALGO, NUPE and COHSE Click to show or hide the answer
Symbol is a globe flanked by two olive branches Click to show or hide the answer
UK trade union: formed on 1 May 2007 by the merger of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU); general secretary Len McCluskey (from its inception); the UK's second largest trade union (2018), after UNISON Click to show or hide the answer
Children's charity – open to all volunteers but with strong links to showbiz and sport; founded in the USA in 1927, now has 55 "tents" around the world; chairman is known as Chief Barker (cf. Grand Order of Water Rats) Click to show or hide the answer
Scouts aged 15½ to 20, 1967–2003 – term still used in various other countries Click to show or hide the answer
Political party formed 2005 by Robert Kilroy–Silk Click to show or hide the answer
British showbiz charity for the benefit of showbiz people, founded in 1889 by comedian Joe Elvin; chairman is called King Rat: the Grand Order of (cf. Variety) Click to show or hide the answer
Political party, founded in 2015 by comedian and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig and American–born British journalist Catherine Mayer Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1897 following a meeting of the Farmer's Institute in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada: the speaker, Mrs. Amanda Hoodless, President of the Hamilton YWCA, suggested forming a group to broaden knowledge of domestic science and agriculture, as well as to socialise. The British movement was founded (independently) in Llanfairpwll (Llanfair PG), Anglesey, in 1915 – by which time there were hundreds of branches in Canada Click to show or hide the answer
Formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund; symbol is a giant panda Click to show or hide the answer
Japanese equivalent of the Mafia Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in the reign of Henry VII for the protection of the Royal Person Click to show or hide the answer
Founded in 1930: moved its headquarters from Welwyn Garden City to St. Albans in 1955, and from there to Matlock (Derbyshire) in 2002Click for more information Click to show or hide the answer
American youth–oriented radical and countercultural revolutionary offshoot of the free speech and anti–war movements of the late 1960s: founded on 31 December 1967, advanced a pig (named Pigasus the Immortal) as a Presidential candidate in 1968 Click to show or hide the answer
Robert Mugabe's party (Zimbabwe) Click to show or hide the answer

Other

Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales – changed its logo in 2006, from the traditional green and red triban (three peaks) used since 1933, to a stylised representation of a yellow flower with the Latin name Meconopsis cambrica – known in English as the Click to show or hide the answer
Symbol of the Liberal democrats Click to show or hide the answer

© Haydn Thompson 2017–23