Progress

Progress is a 'New labour' pressure group founded in 1996. It says it 'aims to promote a radical and progressive politics for the 21st century.' Progress also states that 'we seek to promote open debate and discussion of progressive ideas and policies.'

The Progress team

As of November 2009 Progress is chaired by Stephen Twigg. Our vice chairs are Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, secretary of state for culture, media & sport; Chris Leslie, director, New Local Government Network; Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, secretary of state for energy & climate change; Baroness Delyth Morgan; and Meg Munn MP. Progress’ honorary president is Alan Milburn, the former secretary of state for health and MP for Darlington.

Purple Book

In April 2011, the Times reported that a group of writers associated with Progress intended to produce a manifesto entitled The Purple Book, in imitation of the Liberal Democrat Orange Book:

The manifesto is a sign that the new Labour wing of the party is starting to reassert itself as Mr Miliband finds his feet. The Purple Book is being organised by Progress, the Blairite pressure group funded by Lord Sainsbury of Turville, the former Science Minister who gives it £250,000 a year (and has not donated any money to Labour since its current leader took over). Increasingly, Progress is balancing the power of the trade unions in the party and it is determined to flex its muscles on policy as vigorously as the barons.

Circa 2006

• Alan Milburn - President
• Stephen Twigg - Chair
• Andy Burnham - Vice Chair (Home Office Minister)
• Robert Philpot – Director
• Ed Miliband MP for Doncaster North
• Meg Munn - minister for women and equalities
• Delyth Morgan - former chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity
• Jennifer Gerber – Deputy Director
• Tony Robinson
• Mark Day – Publications Officer
• Tom Brooks Pollock - Events and Office Manager
• Wes Streeting – Administrative Assistant

Circa July 2008

• Honorary President: Rt Hon Alan Milburn MP
• Chair: StephenTwigg
• Vice chairs: Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, Chris Leslie, Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Baroness Delyth Morgan, Meg Munn MP
• Patrons: Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, Wendy Alexander MSP, Ian Austin MP, Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, Rt Hon John Denham MP, Parmjit Dhanda MP, Natascha Engel MP, Lorna Fitzsimons, Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, John Healey MP, Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP, Rt Hon John Hutton MP, Baroness Jones, Glenys Kinnock MEP, Sadiq Kahn MP, Oona King, David Lammy MP, Cllr Richard Leese, Rt Hon Peter Mandelson, Pat McFadden MP, Rt Hon David Miliband MP, Trevor Phillips, Baroness Prosser, Rt Hon James Purnell MP, Jane Roberts, Lord Triesman. Kitty Ussher MP, Martin Winter
• Honorary Treasurer: Baroness Margaret Jay
• Director: Robert Philpot
• Deputy Director: Jessica Asato
• Website and Communications Manager: Tom Brooks Pollock
• Events and Membership Officer: Mark Harrison
• Publications and Events Assistant: Ed Thornton

Compass

In 2008 Progress organised a joint meeting with Compass (Liverpool: Winning a fourth term: what’s the road to victory? A debate about the future of the Labour party 04 July 2008 18:00 to 19:30). Speakers included Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Stephen Twigg, Chair of Progress and PPC for Liverpool West Derby, John Harris, the Guardian, Willie Sullivan, Vice Chair of Compass, Louise Ellman MP (chair).

Donations

In February 2005 Lord Bhattacharyya donated £20,000.00 to Progress.

External Resources

• Sunny Hundal, Compass v Progress – who will win?, Liberal Conspiracy, 29 July 2008.
• Sunny Hundal, Different categories of left-wing activists, Liberal Conspiracy, 9 February 2011.
• Luke Akehurst, Compass and Progress: A tale of two groupings, Labourlist, 14 March 2011.
• Tom Watson, The greatest lesson from New Labour is that winners have no time for nostalgia, Labour Uncut, 16 March 2011.

Contact

Website: progress.squareeye.com

Website: www.progressives.org.uk

Website: www.progressonline.org.uk