Reform Scotland
Reform Scotland is a Scottish free market think tank launched on Monday 14 April 2008. It has been described in the press as 'the tartan offshoot of free-market think-tank Reform'[1] or 'the sister organisation of the London-based right-of-centre think tank started by the shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert in 2001'.[2] Reform Scotland itself maintains that 'Reform Scotland is in fact an independent, autonomous organisation and is neither an outpost nor a branch of Reform.'[3] This may be the formal position, but the links between the two include the fact that Andrew Haldenby the Director of Reform, was on both the Board of Management and the Advisory board on its launch in 2008.
Contents
Conservative Connections
In a March 2009 presentation Tim Montgomerie and Matthew Elliott described Reform as part of the infrastructure of the conservative movement in Britain.[4] Reform Scotland is certainly part of that movement and, like Reform is close to certain factions within the Conservative Party. This is evident from the Party connections of its first two staff members - Geoff Mawdlsey and Alison Payne, both of whom were Conservative candidates in the past.[5][6] Other party connections include: Andrew John Haldenby the co-founder of Reform, who was advisor on David Davis’s 2001 bid for leadership of the Conservative Party[7] and previously Head of the Political Section in the Conservative Research Department.[8]
Activities
Formation
According to a report in the Morning Star:
- A new right-wing think tank is due to be launched in Scotland next month. It is sponsored by the finance sector - the very gnomes who have been whispering in John Swinney's ear over the Scottish Futures Trust. Reform Scotland aims to influence the Scottish policy agenda at Holyrood. Unsurprisingly, one of its interests is increasing competition in public services. Who is the heidie? Ben Thomson, chairman of the Noble finance group. Advisers include Trevor Matthews, chief executive of Friends Provident, and Sir Richard Sykes, former chairman of Glaxosmithkline. The director will be Geoff Mawdsley, former senior adviser to the Scottish Tories, and the trustees are drawn from across the financial services sector. And who has been in discussion with the heidie of Reform Scotland even before it is launched? Step forward Wendy Alexander.[9]
Ian McKerron, media adviser for Reform Scotland has stated in response to this report that 'Reform Scotland is not aligned or affliliated to any political party [and]... is a registered charity which accepts donations from a range of sources, not just the finacial sector.[10]
Reform Scotland Public Services Report
Coverage of the report included:
- John Bynorth, Only 148 officers on beat to police all of Scotland: Startling report calls for zero tolerance on crime, Sunday Herald April 13, 2008, Sunday Final Edition, News section, Pg. 8
- Richard Bath, A Lesson For Us All, Scotland on Sunday (Edinburgh, Scotland), April 20, 2008, Sunday 1 Edition, Pg. 14
- Geoff Mawdsley, Public services are not working - so why don't we care?, The Times (London) April 14, 2008, Pg. 22
People
Geoff Mawdsley | Alison Payne[11]
The Reform Scotland website address was registered on 15 November 2007 by Reform Scotland, Executive Centre, 7-9 North St Davids Street, Edinburgh. Its 'Administrative Contact' in 2007/8 was listed as Neil Rapson, (neil.rapson AT designwork.co.uk) based at 40 Trafalgar Lane, Edinburgh.[12]
In 2010 the following staff are also listed:
Advisory board
Circa 2010
Ben Thomson (Chairman, Noble Group) | Martin Gilbert (Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management plc) | Alex Hammond-Chambers (Former Chairman of Dobbies) | Lesley Knox (Chair, Alliance Trust) | Dan Macdonald, Chief Executive of Macdonald Estates | Professor Sir Donald MacKay (former professor of economics at Heriot Watt and and Aberdeen Universities) | David Milne (Founder and Former Chief Executive of Wolfson Microelectronics) | Keith Skeoch (Chief Executive, Standard Life Investments)[14]
Although not listed on their website (as at 11 March 2010), the Reform Scotland media advisor Ian McKerron states that the following people are also members of the Advisory board:
- Donald Macdonald (Executive Chairman, Macdonald Hotels)[15]
Circa 2008
- Ben Thomson (Chairman, Noble Group) | Alex Hammond-Chambers (Former Chairman of Dobbies) | Sir Richard Sykes (Rector of Imperial College and Former Chairman of GlaxoSmithkline) | Mrs Lesley Knox (Chairman, The Alliance Trust) | David Milne (Founder and Former Chief Executive of Wolfson Microelectronics) | Andrew Haldenby (Director of Reform) | Trevor Matthews (Former Chief Executive UK Financial Services, Standard Life)[16]
Trustees circa 2010
- Ben Thomson (Chairman) | James Aitken (Independent consultant and lecturer and former private client and tax solicitor) | Isobel d'Inverno (Director – Corporate Tax at Brodies) | Andrew Haldenby (Director of Reform) | Amanda Harvie (Managing Director, the Harvie Consultancy) | Gregor Stewart (Head of Ernst & Young's FS Advisory Service in Scotland)[17]
Although not listed on their website (as at 11 March 2010), the Reform Scotland media advisor Ian McKerron states that the following people are also Trustees:
- Dan Macdonald (Deputy Chairman) | Graeme Blackett (Managing Director, BiGGAR Economics)[18]
Board of Management (Trustees) Circa 2008
- Ben Thomson (Chairman) | Isobel d’Inverno (Director – Corporate Tax at MacRoberts)| Amanda Harvie (Former Chief Executive, Scottish Financial Enterprise) | James Aitken (Senior Associate, Private Client at HBJ Gateley Wareing) | William Frame (Managing Director, Braemore Estates) | Andrew Haldenby (Director of Reform) | Gregor Stewart (Head of Ernst & Young's FS Advisory Service in Scotland) | John Thomson (Executive Chairman, RIA Capital Markets)[19]
Affiliations
Reform | Hay McKerron Media Consultants - retained as Media advisors circa 2010[20] |
Contact
Executive Centre, 7-9 North St David Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1AW http://www.reformscotland.com/
Notes
- ↑ Tim Sharp 'Media as green as all the rest', The Herald (Glasgow) April 19, 2008 Saturday, Final Edition BUSINESS DIARY Pg. 25
- ↑ Rachel Devine 'Man who thinks for Scotland' Sunday Times, April 20, 2008 Ecosse with Scotland News Review; Pg. 6
- ↑ Ian McKerron Re: spin profiles - reform scotland Email to editor AT spinprofiles.org, Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:24:53
- ↑ Tim Montgomerie, The growth of Britain's conservative movement, ConservativeHome, 14 March 2009.
- ↑ Aberdeen Press and Journal February 16, 2000 Adviser named as Tories' candidate BYLINE: By SECTION: Politics: General Election, Pg.3
- ↑ Evening News (Edinburgh) October 3, 2006, Tuesday Home Edition City Tories feel Cameron effect BYLINE: Ian Swanson Scottish Political Editor SECTION: Pg. 20
- ↑ Tom Baldwin, ‘Davis team plan fuels fears over factions’, The Times, 27 October 2001
- ↑ Reform – About us – Directors (Accessed: 19 December 2007)
- ↑ Malcolm Burns, PFI by the back door, Morning Star March 17, 2008, accessed 11 Mar 2010
- ↑ Ian McKerron Re: spin profiles - reform scotland Email to editor AT spinprofiles.org, Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:24:53
- ↑ The only two people mentioned on the 'under construction' website on Sunday 13 April 2008.
- ↑ Whois entry, accessed 13 April 2008
- ↑ Reform Scotland Our People, accessed 11 March 2010
- ↑ Reform Scotland Advisory board, accessed 11 March 2010
- ↑ Ian McKerron Re: spin profiles - reform scotland Email to editor AT spinprofiles.org, Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:24:53
- ↑ Reform Scotland Advisory board, accessed 24 April 2008
- ↑ Reform Scotland Trustees, accessed 11 March 2010
- ↑ Ian McKerron Re: spin profiles - reform scotland Email to editor AT spinprofiles.org, Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:24:53
- ↑ Reform Scotland About, accessed 24 April 2008
- ↑ Ian McKerron Re: spin profiles - reform scotland Email to editor AT spinprofiles.org, Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:24:53
