CentreForum

CentreForum is an independent, liberal think-tank that seeks to develop evidence based, long-term policy solutions to the problems facing Britain based in Westminster, London. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/page/2007/dec/20/1 Thinktanks | Politics | guardian.co.uk ] ] It was formerly known as Centre for Reform.

The organisation, chaired by Paul Marshall, is linked by many to the right-wing of the Liberal Democrats. ['Anti top up fee resolve wavers' Times Higher Educational Suppliement - 15 September 2006, http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=205349&sectioncode=26] Many prominent Liberal Democrat politicians are involved in CentreForum including David Laws MP, Nick Clegg MP, Lord Clement-Jones and Nick Harvey MP. However, it is independent from the party and its board members include the Compass chair Neal Lawson as well as the Labour Party MP Natascha Engel and the Conservative MP Andrew Tyrie.

Amongst their publications is 'Britain After Blair', in which senior Lib Dem politicians give their view on a liberal direction for the policy brief they cover in the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet. ['Tax reforms will be biggest test for Campbell' The Times, 15 September, 2006. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article638453.ece] Although not party policy, the then Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Menzies Campbell wrote a foreword to the volume. The book is the successor to the controversial which advocated classical liberal solutions to current social policy issues.

Other publications of CentreForum include 'Globalisation: a liberal response', 'Climbing the ladder: how can Britain become more socially mobile?', 'Keeping up with the pack: can government reduce health inequality?' and 'Open universities: a funding strategy for higher education'. It is in a number of these publications that both the economic liberal thinking and the differences from the Liberal Democrats become clear, with a major difference being that of supporting some kind of fee system for higher education unlike the Liberal Democrats party policy.

History

After a successful 1997 General Election, a number of influential Liberal Democrats sought for ways to give the party a firmer policy grounding. Richard Wainwright led the project and the Centre for Reform was formally launched at the Liberal Democrats 1998 Spring conference with Richard Grayson as the first Director. Anthony Rowlands became the Director in 2000 and guided the think tank as it published a wide range of papers - many by Liberal Democrat MPs and Lords.

After the death of Richard Wainwright in 2003 the Centre's future appeared uncertain [Dictionary of Liberal thought, Brack & Randall, Politico's Publishing Ltd, 2007] Paul Marshall, then chair of the Liberal Democrat Business Forum, agreed to fund the Centre's future for at least three years ["£1 million boost for Lib Dem think thank" The Times, 28 June 2005 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article538115.ece] . A new business plan was written and former Goldman Sachs banker Jennifer Moses was brought in as Chief Executive.

The organisation moved to larger offices in Westminster and expanded its staff. For the first time it was able to produce in-house research. It was at this time that the think tank was relaunched as CentreForum.

Two Directors were recruited: Alasdair Murray from the Centre for European Reform; and Julian Astle MBE who had been working for Paddy Ashdown in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In early 2008 Jennifer Moses left to become a Special Advisor to Gordon Brown in Downing Street [>Lingerie boss to pep up No 10 briefs, The Times, March 2, 2008. http://143.252.148.161/tol/news/politics/article3466766.ece]

ee also

*Liberal Democrats
*List of UK think tanks

References

External links

* [http://www.centreforum.org/ CentreForum - the liberal think tank]