This article is about the British conservative organisation. For the color, see blue. For the musical group, see Bright Blue (band).
 | |
| Formation | 2014; 11 years ago (2014) |
|---|---|
| Type | Public policy think tank |
| Legal status | Non-profit company |
| Location |
|
| Membership | Around 1,000 |
| Executive chair | Ryan Shorthouse |
| Website | www.brightblue.org.uk |
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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, Bright Blue aims to "defend and champion liberal, open, democratic and meritocratic values, institutions and policies." 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.
The Daily Telegraph has described the organisation as "the modernising wing of the Tory party" and the ConservativeHome website has described it as "a deep intellectual gene pool for the Conservative Party's future." In 2018, the Evening Standard 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. It was the first centre-right organisation to call for the UK to adopt a legal net zero emissions target.
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.
Research
Bright Blue covers five main research themes in its work, including employment, economic, environmental, social and educational policy. Since its establishment, the think tank published over 100 reports.
Partnership
The think tank has worked extensively with multiple various intellectuals and members of parliament, 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, and it has hosted events with organisations such as UK Finance and Virgin Money. 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.
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, City A.M., or the BBC. The same is true of Bright Blue research. Bright Blue also often provides political commentary for UK printed and broadcast media.
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.
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. 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).
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.
See also
References
- "The new Tory reformers looking to conquer the centre ground". Evening Standard. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- "About". Bright Blue. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- Dominiczak, Peter (10 January 2013). "Conservatives should be the party of the low paid, minister says". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
- Hoskin, Peter (9 January 2013). "What the Tory modernisers did next". Conservative Home. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
- Balls, Katy (28 November 2018). "The new Tory reformers looking to conquer the centre ground". Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- Team, Prospect. "Think Tank Awards 2016". Prospect.
- Team, Prospect. "Think Tank Awards 2017: Who won?".
- Team, Prospect. "Think Tank Awards 2018: the full shortlist".
- Dean, Alex. "Think Tank Awards 2019—the full results". Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- 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.
- "About". Bright Blue. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
- "Research".
- "Library". Bright Blue. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- "Parliamentary Supporters". Bright Blue.
- Ltd, DG Publishing. "Renewed calls for govt to set up pensions commission". www.pensions-expert.com. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- "The Future of UK Finance". GOV.UK. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- "Bright Blue: The UK and EU must work together on shared climate threat". 23 February 2022.
- Busby, Eleanor (16 January 2024). "Young people may be missing out because of home working, says Gillian Keegan". The Independent. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- Conchie, Charlie (15 May 2024). "City minister: Pension funds need to start pumping cash into London's stock market". CityAM. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- "Woo youth vote or die, Matt Hancock tells Conservatives". BBC News. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- "Tory think tank Bright Blue calls for 'minimum income'". BBC News. 15 January 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- Vaughan, Richard (30 May 2024). "Tories fear Sunak's 'Dunkirk' strategy will alienate young voters". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- "In The News Archives". Bright Blue. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- "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.
- "Our Partners". Bright Blue. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
- "Bright Blue | Who Funds You?". whofundsyou.org. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- "Who Funds You? Bright Blue".
- "Magazines". Bright Blue. Retrieved 7 June 2024.