Daniel Finkelstein

==== SDP ====

==== SDP ====

Finkelstein was a member of the SDP from 1981 to 1988, becoming Chair of the Young Social Democrats on the defection of his predecessor Keith Toussaint to the Conservative Party during the 1983 general election campaign.''The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1987'' Subsequently, he was elected youth representative on its National Committee and selected as a [[parliamentary candidate]] for [[Brent East]] at the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]]. At around this time, Finkelstein became a close ally and adviser to [[David Owen]], the SDP leader. When the merger with the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] was proposed, Finkelstein was among the leading opponents and refused to join the merged party, instead following Owen into the [[Social Democratic Party (UK, 1988)|'continuing' SDP]]. After Owen had announced his resignation from politics in 1992, Finkelstein was the spokesman for a group of young SDP members who joined the Conservatives.{{cite web |title=Social Democrats Press Release – Supporting John Major – 17 February 1992 |url=https://johnmajorarchive.org.uk/1992/02/17/social-democrats-press-release-supporting-john-major-17-february-1992/ |website=John Major Archive |access-date=1 March 2026 |date=17 February 1992}}{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Michael |title=Former Owenites find 'natural home' |work=The Guardian |date=18 February 1992 |page=2}}

Finkelstein was a member of the SDP from 1981 to 1988, becoming Chair of the Young Social Democrats on the defection of his predecessor Keith Toussaint to the Conservative Party during the 1983 general election campaign.''The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1987'' Subsequently, he was elected youth representative on its National Committee and selected as a [[parliamentary candidate]] for [[Brent East]] at the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]] (where he came third). At around this time, Finkelstein became a close ally and adviser to [[David Owen]], the SDP leader. When the merger with the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] was proposed, Finkelstein was among the leading opponents and refused to join the merged party, instead following Owen into the [[Social Democratic Party (UK, 1988)|'continuing' SDP]]. After Owen had announced his resignation from politics in 1992, Finkelstein was the spokesman for a group of young SDP members who joined the Conservatives.{{cite web |title=Social Democrats Press Release – Supporting John Major – 17 February 1992 |url=https://johnmajorarchive.org.uk/1992/02/17/social-democrats-press-release-supporting-john-major-17-february-1992/ |website=John Major Archive |access-date=1 March 2026 |date=17 February 1992}}{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Michael |title=Former Owenites find 'natural home' |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=18 February 1992 |page=2}}

==== Think tanks ====

==== Think tanks ====