red tory: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Political, Journalistic, Academic
Quick answer
What does “red tory” mean?
A member of a Conservative or right-wing political party who holds some left-leaning or interventionist socio-economic views.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A member of a Conservative or right-wing political party who holds some left-leaning or interventionist socio-economic views.
In modern politics, it refers to a politician or party faction that combines traditional conservative values (like social order, tradition, patriotism) with centre-left or social democratic economic policies (like welfare state support, wealth redistribution, government intervention). The term can also be used more broadly to describe any conservative who is more progressive on economic matters than the party's mainstream.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily a British and Commonwealth term (especially Canadian). In US political discourse, the term is rarely used and may be misunderstood; an analogous concept might be 'Rockefeller Republican' or 'moderate Republican', but these are not direct equivalents.
Connotations
UK: Often associated with One-Nation Conservatism, Disraeli, post-war consensus. Canada: Historically associated with the Progressive Conservative Party's 'red tory' wing. US: No direct equivalent; term is obscure.
Frequency
High frequency in UK/Canadian political analysis; extremely low frequency in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “red tory” in a Sentence
He was labelled a [red tory].The [red tory] wing of the party argued for...She represents the [red tory] tradition.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “red tory” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The MP was accused of red-torying his economic proposals.
- He has been red-torying for years, much to the annoyance of the party's right wing.
adjective
British English
- His red-tory instincts made him support the subsidy.
- They proposed a red-tory approach to industrial policy.
American English
- The columnist described the governor's platform as having a red-tory flavour, unusual for the US.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in political risk analysis discussing government policy direction.
Academic
Common in political science, history, and sociology texts analyzing party factions and ideological spectra.
Everyday
Low. Used by politically engaged individuals discussing news or party politics.
Technical
Used as a specific term in political commentary and journalism to categorize politicians/policies.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “red tory”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “red tory”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “red tory”
- Capitalising it as a formal title (Red Tory) – often not capitalised except at start of sentence. Using it to describe any moderate politician (it specifically applies to conservatives). Assuming it means a socialist or a Marxist (it does not).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A Red Tory is fundamentally a conservative, not a socialist. The 'red' refers to adopting certain left-leaning (often social democratic) economic policies, while maintaining conservative social views and allegiance to conservative institutions.
It depends entirely on context and the speaker. To a free-market conservative, it is often a criticism implying betrayal of core principles. To a moderate or centrist, it can be a neutral or even positive description of pragmatism and compassion.
The opposite in British political slang is a 'dry' or a 'Thatcherite' – a conservative who emphasizes free markets, privatization, monetarism, and minimal state intervention in the economy.
It is very rarely used and not widely understood. The closest American equivalents are historical terms like 'Rockefeller Republican' or 'moderate Republican', though these lack the specific ideological blend of traditionalism and economic interventionism implied by 'Red Tory'.
A member of a Conservative or right-wing political party who holds some left-leaning or interventionist socio-economic views.
Red tory is usually political, journalistic, academic in register.
Red tory: in British English it is pronounced /ˌred ˈtɔːri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌrɛd ˈtɔri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[He's] a bit of a red tory at heart.”
- “That's a very red tory solution to the problem.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a traditional British Tory (blue) putting on a red tie – still conservative but with a splash of socialist-leaning colour on economic issues.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEOLOGY IS A SPECTRUM (where 'red' represents the left/socialist end and 'tory' the right/conservative end, creating a hybrid). POLITICS IS TEAM SPORTS (a 'red' player on the 'blue' team).
Practice
Quiz
In which country is the term 'Red Tory' most commonly used and understood?