The Campaign for a More Prosperous Britain was a political party in the United Kingdom. It was founded before the February 1974 general election by Tom Keen and Harold Smith, both business owners in Manchester.
Keen was the party's leader. Before forming the campaign, he had become a millionaire through property development. The party called for voters not to vote for its candidates, but for tactical voting to defeat the Labour Party; it distributed anti-Labour literature. Despite this, some of its candidacies received hundreds of votes, with Keen's candidacy in Portsmouth North at the October 1974 general election attracting 1.0% of all the votes cast.David Boothroyd, Politico's guide to the history of British political parties, p. 28.
The party first came to public attention when members plastered the headquarters of the Trades Union Congress with anti-union posters.Institute for the Study of Conflict, Sources of conflict in British industry, p. 34. It was also strongly opposed to the Communist Party of Great Britain.F. W. S. Craig, Minor Parties at British Parliamentary Elections 1885–1974, p. 128.
Smith stood against Labour Party leader Harold Wilson at the February 1974 general election, taking 234 votes. Keen and Smith set a new record at the October general election by standing simultaneously in eleven and twelve constituencies, respectively.Peter Barberis et al, Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations, p. 320. With two associates who stood in a single constituency each, the campaign stood in a total of 25 seats, receiving 4,301 votes. Each constituency was a marginal seat held by the Labour Party, but Labour held each seat at the election.Labour Party, Conference (vol. 74), p. 27.
Keen stood for the party again in the 1979 general election and several by-elections. However, the party was apparently dissolved in the early 1980s, Keen standing in five Labour seats at the 1983 general election as an independent.
Results February 1974 general election Constituency Candidate Votes Percentage Position ResultHuyton2340.44 hold
October 1974 general election Constituency Candidate Votes Percentage Position ResultAldridge-Brownhills2100.44 holdBattersea South1700.64 holdBirmingham Handsworth1050.34 holdBirmingham Perry Barr860.25 holdBirmingham Yardley1110.25 holdBolton East1490.35 holdBradford West3390.84 holdChorley1850.34 holdCoventry South West1440.35 holdDerby North2420.44 holdGlasgow Govan270.16 holdGravesend2390.45 holdHuddersfield West1360.35 holdIlford South1690.44 holdKeighley1790.45 holdLoughborough1250.25 holdManchester Moss Side960.35 holdMiddleton and Prestwich2340.44 holdPortsmouth North5271.04 holdPreston North1380.34 holdPreston South870.25 holdPutney1250.34 holdSowerby1570.44 holdWalsall South1500.45 holdYork3040.54 hold
By-elections, 1974–1979 Election Candidate Votes Percentage Position Result1976 Coventry North West400.16 hold
1979 general election Constituency Candidate Votes Percentage Position ResultBristol North West730.15 gainBristol South East660.15 holdColne Valley1010.24 holdCoventry North West980.34 holdCoventry South West1440.35 gainHuddersfield West1010.24 gain
By-elections, 1979–1983 Election Candidate Votes Percentage Position Result1981 Warrington100.011 hold1982 Beaconsfield510.16 hold
At Beaconsfield, Keen stood under the description "Benn in 10 unless Proportional Representation".
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