Freedom Association

The Freedom Association is a right wing, non-party political educational and campaigning organisation, which currently campaigns primarily for British withdrawal from the EU. It also runs campaigns on liberalising education and health care, immigration, and the individual's rights to privacy.

It was originally founded in 1975 as the National Association for Freedom (NAFF), and adopted its present name in 1980. TFA claims 7,000 members, organised in branches. Its membership peaked at 20,000 in the late 1970s.

History
NAFF was founded on 2 December 1975 by Michael Ivens (then Director, Aims of Industry), and Colonel Juan Hobbs (Secretary, British United Industrialists). The first Chairman was the soldier Viscount De L'Isle, who was joined by the McWhirter brothers of The Guinness Book of Records fame. The death of Ross McWhiter at the hands of the IRA a week before the launch of NAFF ensured it was born in a "blaze of publicity".

NAFF focussed its efforts on high-profile, media-friendly stunts to undermine the power of the British Trades Unions, and in particular the "closed shop" (the requirement that every worker in a particular workplace belong to a union).

Management Committee
Accessed January 2013:


 * Ewen Stewart (Mgt. Cttee. Chmn.)
 * Tony Hilder (Hon. Secretary)
 * Michael McGough FCA (Hon. Treasurer)
 * Timothy Congdon CBE (ex officio)
 * Christopher Gill
 * John Kershaw
 * Mark Wallace

Council and Supporters
Accessed January 2013:


 * Hon. Chairman: Professor Timothy Congdon CBE
 * Hon. President: Christopher Gill
 * Hon. Vice-President: Vladimir Bukovsky
 * Hon. Chaplain: The Rev’d Dr. Peter Mullen
 * Hon. Secretary: Tony Hilder
 * Hon. Treasurer: Michael McGough
 * Jillian Becker, Sir Rhodes Boyson, Christopher Chope, Baroness Cox of Queensbury, Philip Davies, Alex Deane, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Mike Fisher, Teresa Gorman, Robert Halfon, Daniel Hannan, Charles Hanson, Roger Helmer, Adrian Hilton, Philip Hollobone, Gerald Howarth, Lindsay Jenkins, John Kershaw, Justin Kornberg, Barry Legg, Russell Lewis, Eric Lomax, Laura Midgley, Patrick Minford, Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, Brian Monteith, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, Margaret Purves, Andrew Roberts, Andrew Rosindell, Colin Smith, Ewen Stewart, Lord Stoddart of Swindon, Walter Sweeney, Lord Vinson of Roddam, Earl of Wemyss and March, Stuart Wheeler, John Whittingdale, Tony Woodcock

Staff (2004)

 * Norris McWhirter, President (until 2004) and former chairman
 * Viscount De L'lsle, founder President was Viscount De L'lsle
 * Christopher Gill, Chairman (former Conservative MP, 1987- 2001)
 * Teresa Gorman, Director
 * Nigel Axelrad, Hon. Treasurer

Former Directors include Gerald Hartup and John Gouriet (founder Chairman, Freedom in Action and former Referendum Party candidate at the 1997 general election). Graham Mather started out at the Freedom Assocation before going on to serve as General Director of the Institute for Economic Affairs (1987-1992)

Council members include: ---
 * Vice-Admiral Sir Louis Le Bailly
 * Russell Lewis
 * Professor Patrick Minford
 * Lord James Neidpath (member, UK Independence Party)
 * Lord Malcolm Pearson of Rannoch
 * Colin Tickner
 * John Bercow
 * Mike Fisher
 * Antony Flew, foundation member