Bright Blue
Formation2014 (2014)
TypeLiberal Conservative, One Nation Conservative, Think tank
Location
Chair
Sarah Sands
Director
Ryan Shorthouse
Websitewww.brightblue.org.uk

Bright Blue is an independent think tank and pressure group advocating for liberal conservative and one nation conservative[1] ideas and policies, based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2014 by British entrepreneur Ryan Shorthouse,[2] Bright Blue aims to "defend and champion liberal, open, democratic and meritocratic values, institutions and policies."[3] Bright Blue is a membership-based think tank, with membership open to anyone who identifies as a liberal conservative.

The Daily Telegraph has described the organisation as "the modernising wing of the Tory party"[4] and the ConservativeHome website has described it as "a deep intellectual gene pool for the Conservative Party's future".[5] In 2018, the Evening Standard[6] 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.[7][8][9][10]

Research

Bright Blue covers five main research themes in its work, including energy and environment policy; human rights and discrimination; integrated Britain; social reform; and ageing society.[11]

Its first publication was the book Tory Modernisation 2.0[12][13][14] published in 2013. Tory Modernisation 2.0 is described as recommending "policies and a vision that the Conservative Party should adopt to improve society and the economy, to win in 2015, and beyond". The book contains contributions from various conservative intellectuals and members of parliament,[15] including Matthew d'Ancona, Francis Maude and David Willetts.

In April 2014, Bright Blue published its second book, The Modernisers’ Manifesto.[16][17] The book outlined how the Conservative Party can demonstrate credibility and fresh ideas to convince the electorate that they need a second term in government to make Britain "a fairer nation with a stronger economy and high-quality public services". The book contained contributions from a range of high-profile opinion formers and policy makers such as Liam Fox, Andrew Mitchell, Zac Goldsmith, Laura Sandys, Nick Hurd, George Freeman, Isabel Hardman, Matthew Parris and Ian Birrell.

Influence

Bright Blue has seen a number of policies adopted by the UK Government. In 2019, the think-tank successfully campaigned for the introduction of a low-carbon obligation on gas suppliers.[18][19] The government has also recently embraced other Bright Blue policy suggestions including making the breach of a Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) a criminal offence; extending Tier 5 Youth Mobility visas to more countries;[20] increasing the period of time international students can stay in the UK on a Tier 4 visa after their course has completed;[21] the ONS asking a voluntary question about gender identity in the Census from 2021;[22] the appointment reforming rural payments after Britain leaves the EU Common Agricultural Policy,[23] the cutting of Stamp Duty for nearly all first-time buyers,[24] announcing a new flexible lifelong loan entitlement to four years of post-18 education,[25] ending the support for fossil fuel sector overseas,[26] the banning of bottom trawling in marine protected areas,[27] including international aviation and shipping in new carbon budgets,[28] extending the Youth Mobility Visa scheme to India,[29] ensuring all new UK bilateral aid is spent in a way that does no harm to nature,[30] accelerating the phase-out of coal,[31] discretionary suspensions of the Minimum Income Floor for Universal Credit claimants,[32] ensuring the central government vehicle fleet will be zero emission as soon as possible,[33] making the right to request flexible working a right from day one,[34] extending student loan repayment period to 40 years,[35] maintaining the telemedicine abortion service,[36] removing the ability of local authorities to charge for the disposal of DIY waste from households at waste disposal sites,[37] appointing Ofgem as the new regulator for heat networks,[38] and increasing in the salary threshold for the repayment of student loan.[39]

Organisation

The board of directors is made up of Sarah Sands (chair), Ryan Shorthouse (director), Alexandra Jezeph, Diane Banks, Phil Clarke and Richard Mabey. It currently has nine associate fellows: Helen Jackson, Kieron O'Hara, Nick Tyrone, Ben Gadsby, Andrew O'Brien, Michael Stephens, Kieran Cooke and Michael Johnson. It has a list of nearly 200 Parliamentary supporters,[40] and an independent advisory council[41] from different political and professional backgrounds - including multiple Conservative parliamentarians such as such as Michael Gove, Matt Hancock, Nicky Morgan, Damian Green, and Penny Mordaunt.

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.[42] Bright Blue is appointing a new CEO in 2023.[43]

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.[44] 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).[45]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Meet The New Conservative Think-Tanks Hoping To Reboot The Tories". HuffPost UK. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  2. ↑ "The new Tory reformers looking to conquer the centre ground". Evening Standard. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  3. ↑ "About". Bright Blue. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  4. ↑ Dominiczak, Peter (10 January 2013). "Conservatives should be the party of the low paid, minister says". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. ↑ Hoskin, Peter (9 January 2013). "What the Tory modernisers did next". Conservative Home. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  6. ↑ Balls, Katy (28 November 2018). "The new Tory reformers looking to conquer the centre ground". Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  7. ↑ "Think Tank Awards 2016". Prospect.
  8. ↑ Team, Prospect. "Think Tank Awards 2017: Who won?".
  9. ↑ Team, Prospect. "Think Tank Awards 2018: the full shortlist".
  10. ↑ Dean, Alex. "Think Tank Awards 2019—the full results". Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  11. ↑ "Research".
  12. ↑ "Tory Modernisation 2.0" (PDF).
  13. ↑ Shorthouse, Ryan (6 October 2012). "Conservative modernisation: it's time for version 2.0". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  14. ↑ "Reviewed: Tory Modernisation 2.0 ed. Ryan Shorthouse & Guy Stagg". newstatesman.com. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  15. ↑ "Parliamentary Supporters". Bright Blue.
  16. ↑ "The Modernisers Manifesto" (PDF).
  17. ↑ "Tory think-tank pushes for easing of cannabis laws to be cornerstone". The Independent. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  18. ↑ "Think tank calls for low carbon gas obligation". theenergyst.com. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  19. ↑ "Fiddling the margins or a powerful signal? The green economy reacts to the Spring Statement". edie.net. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  20. ↑ Hedges, Birketts LLP-Clare; Leggett, Janice. "Employment and Immigration Law Update - Changes to Immigration Rules | Lexology". lexology.com. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  21. ↑ editor, Richard Adams Education (10 September 2019). "UK work visas for foreign graduates to be extended to two years". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 October 2019. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  22. ↑ "2021 Census topic research update: December 2018 - Office for National Statistics". ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  23. ↑ "What's behind Theresa May's new love of the environment? This might be the answer". The Independent. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  24. ↑ "The new Tory reformers looking to conquer the centre ground". Evening Standard. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  25. ↑ "PM's skills speech: 29 September 2020". gov.uk. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  26. ↑ "PM announces the UK will end support for fossil fuel sector overseas". gov.uk. 12 December 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  27. ↑ "Marine Management Organisation launches consultation on four of England's Marine Protected Areas". gov.uk. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  28. ↑ "UK enshrines new target in law to slash emissions by 78% by 2035". gov.uk. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  29. ↑ "UK-India agree partnership to boost work visas for Indian nationals". gov.uk. 4 May 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  30. ↑ "The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review" (PDF). gov.uk. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  31. ↑ "End to coal power brought forward to October 2024". gov.uk. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  32. ↑ "The Universal Credit (Coronavirus) (Restoration of the Minimum Income Floor) Regulations 2021". gov.uk. 31 July 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  33. ↑ "Transport decarbonisation plan". gov.uk. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  34. ↑ "Making flexible working the default". gov.uk. 23 September 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  35. ↑ "Higher education policy statement & reform consultation" (PDF). gov.uk. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  36. ↑ "LORDS AMENDMENTS TO THE HEALTH AND CARE BILL" (PDF). parliament.uk. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  37. ↑ "Government announces new crackdown on fly-tipping". gov.uk. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  38. ↑ "The Queen's Speech" (PDF). gov.uk. 10 May 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  39. ↑ Stewart, Heather (10 September 2017). "Thinktank warns Tories not to cut interest rates on student loans" (PDF). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  40. ↑ "Parliamentary Supporters".
  41. ↑ "Advisory council".
  42. ↑ "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.
  43. ↑ Lampier, Sam (22 November 2022). "Bright Blue: Ryan Shorthouse to step down as CEO of Bright Blue". Bright Blue. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  44. ↑ "Bright Blue | Who Funds You?". whofundsyou.org. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  45. ↑ "Who Funds You? Bright Blue".
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