Difference between revisions of "Policy Institute"

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A [[Sourcewatch:Think tanks|Think tank]] based inside the offices of the [[Scotsman]] newspaper in Edinburgh, which is owned by the [[Barclay Brothers]].
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The Policy Institute's (PI) foundation co-incided with the first election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. It is institutionally independent from any political party. [[Bill Jamieson]], senior journalist at the right-leaning The [[Scotsman]] broadsheet (owned by the [[Barclay Brothers]], is the Director of the PI, which has no office, ‘only a desk at the Scotsman’, as its Executive Director [[Tom Miers]] phrased it. He is the only salaried member of the PI, joined the PI in May 2003 ‘to run the institute on a more full-time basis’. He formerly worked for the [[IEA]] in an administrative role. He described The Scotsman as very generous in allocating logistic re-sources to the PI and allowing a senior member of its staff to re-dedicate some of his time to the institute. Jamieson has been a frequent guest at the IEA  and at the [[Bruges Group]] – a Thatcherite committed to a fight against deeper UK integration into the EU. The PI’s board of trustees is less impressive than that of other more established Scottish think-tanks such as the [[DHI]] and [[SCF]]. It is composed of The Scotsman pundit Katie Grant, a top manager of [[Scottish Friendly Assurance]] [[Colin McLean]], and [[Allan Massie]], a journalist-turned-writer.
 
 
The Policy Institute has personnel in common with and is linked to the [[Sourcewatch:Institute of Economic Affairs|Institute of Economic Affairs]].
 
 
 
Policy Institute (PI). Its foundation coincided
 
with the first election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. It is, like
 
all think-tanks in this sample, institutionally independent from any political
 
party. [[Bill Jamieson]], senior journalist at the right-leaning The [[Scotsman]]
 
broadsheet, is the Director of the PI, which has no office, ‘only a desk at
 
the Scotsman’. [[Tom Miers]], the only salaried member of the PI, has been
 
employed as Executive Director in May 2003 ‘to run the institute on a more
 
full-time basis’. He formerly worked for the [[Sourcewatch:Institute of Economic Affairs|Institute of Economic Affairs]] in an administrative role and does not rule out going into politics one day. He described The Scotsman as very generous in allocating logistic resources to the PI and allowing a senior member of its staff to re-dedicate some of his time to the institute56. Jamieson has been a frequent guest at the IEA57 and at the [[Bruges Group]] – a Thatcherite ‘independent all-party think tank’ committed to a
 
fight against deeper UK integration into the EU58. The PI’s board of trustees
 
is less impressive than that of the more established DHI and SCF and
 
is composed of another Scotsman pundit [[Katie Grant]], a top manager of
 
[[Scottish Friendly Assurance]] [[Colin McLean]], and [[Allan Massie]], a journalist-
 
turned-writer.
 
  
  
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The PI has had about 30 different sponsors over the last two years, of which about half
 
The PI has had about 30 different sponsors over the last two years, of which about half
 
were trusts, such as the [[Tay Charitable Trust]] and the [[Binks Trust]]. Companies,
 
were trusts, such as the [[Tay Charitable Trust]] and the [[Binks Trust]]. Companies,
e.g. [[Scottish Equitable]], [[Holyrood Holdings]] (Barclay Bros holding
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e.g. [[Scottish Equitable]], [[Holyrood Holdings]] (Barclay Bros holding company for [[Telegraph Media Group]], The Scotsman, the [[Spectator Magazine]], Scotland on Sunday and the Edinburgh Evening News), and [[Stagecoach]], the trade association [[Federation of Small Business]] and individuals make up the other half.
company for Telegraph Media Group, The Scotsman, the Spectator Magazine,
 
Scotland on Sunday and the Edinburgh Evening News), and
 
[[Stagecoach]], the trade association [[Federation of Small Business]] and individuals
 
make up the other half.
 
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
Hartwig Pautz 'Think-Tanks in Scotland' Paper for the 55th Political Studies Association Annual conference, 4-7 April 2005, University of Leeds,  [http://www.psa.ac.uk/2005/pps/Pautz.pdf www.psa.ac.uk/2005/pps/Pautz.pdf]
 
[[Category: Think tanks]]
 

Revision as of 17:44, 14 March 2006

The Policy Institute's (PI) foundation co-incided with the first election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. It is institutionally independent from any political party. Bill Jamieson, senior journalist at the right-leaning The Scotsman broadsheet (owned by the Barclay Brothers, is the Director of the PI, which has no office, ‘only a desk at the Scotsman’, as its Executive Director Tom Miers phrased it. He is the only salaried member of the PI, joined the PI in May 2003 ‘to run the institute on a more full-time basis’. He formerly worked for the IEA in an administrative role. He described The Scotsman as very generous in allocating logistic re-sources to the PI and allowing a senior member of its staff to re-dedicate some of his time to the institute. Jamieson has been a frequent guest at the IEA and at the Bruges Group – a Thatcherite committed to a fight against deeper UK integration into the EU. The PI’s board of trustees is less impressive than that of other more established Scottish think-tanks such as the DHI and SCF. It is composed of The Scotsman pundit Katie Grant, a top manager of Scottish Friendly Assurance Colin McLean, and Allan Massie, a journalist-turned-writer.


Funding

The PI has had about 30 different sponsors over the last two years, of which about half were trusts, such as the Tay Charitable Trust and the Binks Trust. Companies, e.g. Scottish Equitable, Holyrood Holdings (Barclay Bros holding company for Telegraph Media Group, The Scotsman, the Spectator Magazine, Scotland on Sunday and the Edinburgh Evening News), and Stagecoach, the trade association Federation of Small Business and individuals make up the other half.

External links