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| Formation | 9 September 1992 |
|---|---|
| Type | Advocacy group |
| Location |
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| Coordinates | 51°29′47″N0°07′42″W / 51.4963°N 0.1284°W /51.4963; -0.1284 |
| Website | https://europeanfoundation.org/ |
TheEuropean Foundation is aEuroscepticthink tank based in theUnited Kingdom, founded in 1992.[1] It is chaired byBill Cash, a BritishConservative MP. The organisation produces the European Journal.
The College Street Group was formed in October 1992 in order to oppose theMaastricht Treaty. The Group, consisting of politicians, academics, businessmen, lawyers, and economists, provided briefs in the campaign to win the arguments both in Parliament and in the country. The European Foundation was created out of Great College Street byBill Cash after the Maastricht debates. It conducted a campaign in the UK to leave theEuropean Union.
It was reported in 1996 that the European Foundation was being funded by SirJames Goldsmith the then leader of the BritishReferendum Party.[citation needed] Because there was an approaching election at which Conservative and Referendum candidates would be contesting the same seats, Cash was forced to sever the link. The shortfall in funding was plugged byMargaret Thatcher, who later became the European Foundation's Patron, a position she held until her death.