Bright Blue (organisation)

Last updated

Bright Blue
Formation2014;11 years ago (2014)
Type Public policy think tank
Legal statusNon-profit company
Location
MembershipAround 1,000
Executive chair
 Ryan Shorthouse
Website www.brightblue.org.uk

Bright Blue is an independent centre-right think tank and pressure group with a mission statement of defending and improving liberal society, based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2014 by British thinker Ryan Shorthouse, [1] Bright Blue aims to "defend and champion liberal, open, democratic and meritocratic values, institutions and policies." [2] Bright Blue is a membership-based think tank, with membership open to anyone who identifies as a liberal conservative. It publishes political research, recommends and vets public policy, and hosts political events.

Contents

The Daily Telegraph has described the organisation as "the modernising wing of the Tory party" [3] and the ConservativeHome website has described it as "a deep intellectual gene pool for the Conservative Party's future." [4] In 2018, the Evening Standard [5] noted that Bright Blue "has managed to set the party’s agenda on a number of issues." In 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, it was shortlisted for both UK Social Policy Think Tank of The Year and UK Environment & Energy Think Tank of The Year in the annual Prospect awards. [6] [7] [8] [9] It was the first centre-right organisation to call for the UK to adopt a legal net zero emissions target. [10]

The think tank describes its guiding ideas as: optimism about human potential; evidence not ideology; pro-market not free-market; social justice; rewarding contribution; individual success and communal responsibility; open and integrated societies; the importance of institutions; positivity about politics; and citizen power. [11]

Research

Bright Blue covers five main research themes in its work, including employment, economic, environmental, social and educational policy. [12] Since its establishment, the think tank published over 100 reports. [13]

Partnership

The think tank has worked extensively with multiple various intellectuals and members of parliament, [14] including Simon Hoare, Liam Byrne, James Cleverly, Patricia Hewitt, Robert Jenrick, Carmen Smith, Laura Trott, Jerome Mayhew, Kevin Hollinrake, Wera Hobhouse, Emily Darlington, Bill Esterson, Sajid Javid, Tom Tugendhat, Robert Buckland, David Willetts, Andrew Mitchell, Laura Sandys or Matthew Parris. Michael Gove has described Bright Blue as "the source of radical and exciting ideas that have shaped Government" and Lucy Frazer has called Bright Blue's work "pioneering."

Many of Bright Blue's projects also involve collaboration with partner organisations, such as other think tanks, pressure groups and universities. For instance, it has worked with the left-wing think tank Fabian Society to call for and design a new pensions commission for the UK, [15] and it has hosted events with organisations such as UK Finance and Virgin Money. [16] The group works in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a centre-right foundation associated with the Christian Democratic Union which has collaboratively published essays on European climate diplomacy. [17]

Influence

Bright Blue has seen over 90 of its policies adopted by the UK Government. The think tank has had significant influence on a number of Conservative Governments, including those of David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Rishi Sunak.

Media

Bright Blue events are routinely covered by UK media, such as The Independent , [18] City A.M. , [19] or the BBC. [20] The same is true of Bright Blue research. [21] Bright Blue also often provides political commentary for UK printed and broadcast media. [22] [23]

Organisation

The board of directors is made up of Ryan Shorthouse (executive chair), Alexandra Jezeph, Diane Banks, Phil Clarke and Richard Mabey. It currently has fifteen associate fellow and an independent advisory council of figures from different political and professional backgrounds, including former and current parliamentarians such as Michael Gove, Penny Mordaunt, John Denham, Margaret Hodge, Jake Richards, Andrew Bowie, Ben Houchen, and Vince Cable.

In November 2022, Ryan Shorthouse announced that he would stand down as Director of Bright Blue and step up to chair the organisation, criticizing the Conservative government for having "failed millennials" and citing disagreements over housebuilding policies and soaring childcare costs. [24]

Funding

Bright Blue is a not-for-profit company that is funded by a range of organisations. It acknowledges its sponsoring partners in all reports and advertising materials, as well as on its website. [25] [26] The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Lloyds Bank Foundation, and Oak Foundation are some such organisations. In November 2022, the funding transparency website Who Funds You? gave Bright Blue a C grade (rating goes from A to E). [27]

Centre Write

Centre Write is a British online newspaper published and edited by the think tank Bright Blue. It publishes a spectrum of centre-left, centrist, and right of centre authors. Its focus is on providing a platform for up-and-coming writers to write political opinion pieces.

In the past, its printed magazine has featured contributors such as Tim Yeo, Ben Goldsmith, Suella Braverman, Priti Patel, Frances O'Grady, Chris Grayling, John Hayes, Madeleine Sumption, Paul Blomfield, Vernon Bogdanor, John Curtice, Philippe Legrain, David Blanchflower, Matt Hancock, Vicky Ford, Alan Mak, Nigel Huddleston, Steve Hilton, Paul Goodman, Ed Vaizey, Flick Drummond, Angus Maude, Justine Greening, Nicky Morgan, Douglas Carswell, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Michael Heseltine, Damian Collins, Tracey Crouch, Sam Gyimah, Tim Loughton, Roger Scruton, Nick Gibb, Kwasi Kwarteng, Dehenna Davison, Neil O'Brien, Ben Houchen, Michael Kenny, Rory Stewart, Jesse Norman, Peter Hitchens, Victoria Atkins, Susan Hall, Alicia Kearns, Matt Warman, Tobias Ellwood, Grant Shapps, and Ed Davey, amongst others. [28]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Institute of Economic Affairs</span> Neoliberal think-tank

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is a British right-wing free market think tank, which is registered as a charity. Associated with the New Right in the United Kingdom, the IEA describes itself as an "educational research institute", and says that it seeks to "further the dissemination of free-market thinking" by "analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems".

Prospect is a monthly British general-interest magazine, specialising in politics, economics and current affairs. Topics covered include British and other European, as well as US politics, social issues, art, literature, cinema, science, the media, history, philosophy and psychology. Prospect features a mixture of lengthy analytic articles, first-person reportage, one-page columns and shorter items.

The Social Market Foundation (SMF) is an independent British political public policy think-tank based in Westminster, London. It is one of the 'Top 12 Think Tanks in Britain' and was named 'UK Think Tank of the Year' by Prospect in 2012. Its purpose is to "advance the education of the public in the economic, social and political sciences" and to "champion ideas that marry a pro-market orientation with concern for social justice". Policy ideas are based on the concept of the social market economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Jackson Society</span> Transatlantic think tank

The Henry Jackson Society (HJS) is a trans-Atlantic foreign policy and national security think tank, based in the United Kingdom. While describing itself as non-partisan, its outlook has been described variously as right-wing, neoliberal, and neoconservative. The Society identifies itself with a "forward strategy" to spread democracy and liberal values globally. It is currently focused primarily on supporting global democracy in the face of threats from China and Russia. The Society is also known for its reports related to Islamic and far-right extremism. The Society is named after the US Senator and leading Democrat, Henry M. Jackson. American political journalist, Michael Allen, described the society as "a non-partisan group that convenes transatlantic center-left, center-right and independent figures committed to Jackson's legacy of 'democratic geopolitics.'"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centre for Social Justice</span> British thinktank

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) is an independent centre-right think tank based in the United Kingdom, co-founded in 2004 by Iain Duncan Smith, Tim Montgomerie, and Philippa Stroud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TaxPayers' Alliance</span> British pressure group and think tank advocating low taxes and small government

The TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) is a pressure group in the United Kingdom which was formed in 2004 to campaign for a low-tax society. The group had about 18,000 registered supporters as of 2008 and claimed to have 55,000 by September 2010. However, it has been suggested that a vast majority of these supporters – who do not contribute financially or engage in campaigning – were simply signed up to a mailing list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Browne (politician)</span> British journalist, businessman and politician (born 1967)

Anthony Howe Browne is a British politician, former journalist and public affairs executive who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Cambridgeshire from 2019 to 2024. He was appointed the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State of Transport, responsible for aviation, decarbonisation and the future of transport from November 2023 to July 2024. He is a member of the Conservative Party.

The Resolution Foundation is an independent British think tank established in 2005. Its stated aim is to improve the standard of living of low-to-middle income families.

Progressive conservatism is a political ideology that attempts to combine conservative and progressive policies. While still supportive of a capitalist economy, it stresses the importance of government intervention in order to improve human and environmental conditions.

Neil Record is a British businessman, author and economist who founded Record Currency Management, one of the earliest specialist currency managers. Record was one of the pioneers of currency risk management. In 2003 he wrote Currency Overlay, the first textbook on the subject. He was a short listed entrant for the 2012 Wolfson Economics Prize for his work on the Eurozone crisis. He was one of the main donors to the climate change denial think-tank the Global Warming Policy Foundation, and is one of the main backers of Kemi Badenoch's 2024 bid for the leadership of the conservative party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rishi Sunak</span> Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2024

Rishi Sunak is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2024. He was Leader of the Conservative Party from October 2022 to November 2024. Following his defeat to Keir Starmer’s Labour Party in the 2024 general election, he became Leader of the Opposition, serving in this role from July to November 2024. He previously held two Cabinet positions under Boris Johnson, latterly as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2020 to 2022. Sunak has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond and Northallerton, previously Richmond (Yorks), since 2015.

"Project Fear" is a term that has entered common usage in British politics in the 21st century, mainly in relation to two major referendum debates: the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, and then again during and after the 2016 UK referendum on EU membership (Brexit).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Houchen</span> British politician (born 1986)

Ben Houchen, Baron Houchen of High Leven, is a British Conservative politician and life peer. He has been Tees Valley Mayor since 2017, winning the inaugural mayoral election in the combined authority. Houchen was re-elected in 2021 and won a third term in 2024.

Ryan Shorthouse is a British writer, thinker and entrepreneur. He is the founder and Executive Chair of Bright Blue, an independent think tank for promoting liberal conservatism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claire Coutinho</span> British politician (born 1985)

Claire Coryl Julia Coutinho is a British politician and former investment banker who has been Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and Shadow Minister for Equalities since 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Surrey since 2019. Coutinho previously served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero from August 2023 to July 2024. She has been described as a close ally of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and an ardent supporter of Brexit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Trott (politician)</span> British politician (born 1984)

Laura Trott is a British politician currently serving as Shadow Education Secretary since November 2024. She previously served as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury from July to November 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sevenoaks since 2019.

Onward is a British centre-right think tank producing research on economic and social issues. It has been described as "close to Rishi Sunak's Downing Street". Onward was founded in 2018 by Will Tanner, Martyn Rose, and Neil O'Brien; its advisory board is chaired by Daniel Finkelstein. The founders state that the think tank would operate in the mainstream of conservative politics, and is a reaction to the "lack of energy on the centre right". It is explicitly aligned to the Conservative Party and is not a charity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levelling-up policy of the Conservative government</span> UK government policy under Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak

"Levelling up" was a political policy first articulated in the 2019 Conservative Party manifesto that aims to reduce the imbalances, primarily economic, between areas and social groups across the United Kingdom. It seeks to do so without acting to the detriment of prosperous areas, such as much of South East England. A white paper for the policy was published by Boris Johnson's government on 2 February 2022, and was continued by Rishi Sunak's government. The policy was overseen by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

References

  1. ↑ "The new Tory reformers looking to conquer the centre ground". Evening Standard. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  2. ↑ "About". Bright Blue. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  3. ↑ Dominiczak, Peter (10 January 2013). "Conservatives should be the party of the low paid, minister says". The Telegraph . Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  4. ↑ Hoskin, Peter (9 January 2013). "What the Tory modernisers did next". Conservative Home . Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. ↑ Balls, Katy (28 November 2018). "The new Tory reformers looking to conquer the centre ground". Evening Standard . Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  6. ↑ Team, Prospect. "Think Tank Awards 2016". Prospect.
  7. ↑ Team, Prospect. "Think Tank Awards 2017: Who won?".
  8. ↑ Team, Prospect. "Think Tank Awards 2018: the full shortlist".
  9. ↑ Dean, Alex. "Think Tank Awards 2019—the full results" . Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  10. ↑ Hansard, Robert (25 May 2018). "UK should adopt new G7-leading legal net zero emissions target, says Bright Blue". Bright Blue. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  11. ↑ "About". Bright Blue. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  12. ↑ "Research".
  13. ↑ "Library". Bright Blue. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  14. ↑ "Parliamentary Supporters". Bright Blue.
  15. ↑ Ltd, DG Publishing. "Renewed calls for govt to set up pensions commission". www.pensions-expert.com. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  16. ↑ "The Future of UK Finance". GOV.UK. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  17. ↑ "Bright Blue: The UK and EU must work together on shared climate threat". 23 February 2022.
  18. ↑ Busby, Eleanor (16 January 2024). "Young people may be missing out because of home working, says Gillian Keegan". The Independent. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  19. ↑ Conchie, Charlie (15 May 2024). "City minister: Pension funds need to start pumping cash into London's stock market". CityAM. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  20. ↑ "Woo youth vote or die, Matt Hancock tells Conservatives". BBC News. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  21. ↑ "Tory think tank Bright Blue calls for 'minimum income'". BBC News. 15 January 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  22. ↑ Vaughan, Richard (30 May 2024). "Tories fear Sunak's 'Dunkirk' strategy will alienate young voters". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  23. ↑ "In The News Archives". Bright Blue. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  24. ↑ "Ryan Shorthouse: I'm losing faith that our current politics can deliver for my generation. Here's a Conservative agenda for change". Conservative Home. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  25. ↑ "Our Partners". Bright Blue. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  26. ↑ "Bright Blue | Who Funds You?". whofundsyou.org. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  27. ↑ "Who Funds You? Bright Blue".
  28. ↑ "Magazines". Bright Blue. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.