Social Market Foundation

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The Social Market Foundation SMF is a London-based think tank with the slogan, "marrying markets and social justice." The think tank, started in 1989, focuses on economic and social policy with a pro-market rather than free-market approach. The organisation, originally "The Centre for Open Society," is most influential in the areas of health, education, welfare and savings policy. It professes to be politically independent, engaged with all political groups. SMF website: [1]

Background & History

SMF is a Blairite pro-market think tank. According to its website: "The SMF was established in 1989 to provide a source of innovative economic and social policy ideas. Steering an independent course between political parties and conflicting ideologies, the SMF has been an influential voice in recent health, education, welfare and pensions policy reform. Our current work reflects a commitment to understanding how individuals, society and the state can work together to achieve the common goal of creating a just and free society."

The SMF shares its 11 Tufton St., Westminster address with the Adam Smith Institute. Lord Ralf Dahrendorf, a member of SMF's Policy Advisory Board, argues in the SMF's 2003/2004 Annual Report that 'The Social Market Foundation is well placed to combine economic, social and political analysis. The three approaches are often separated, yet for policy decisions they have to be brought together. This makes the SMF uniquely relevant.' Given that the SMF line-up are familiar faces in the think tank circuit (Stevenson and Haskins have ties to Demos) its difficult to perceive what is so unique about the Foundation.

The SMF has invited prominent US and UK figures to speak like James Pinkerton, former Ronald Reagan's White House staff. As the Conservative party searched for new policies and looked outside its own Research arena, groups like the SMF, proposing a radical break, received a sympathetic start. It originated as a think-tank for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), ironically, just as the party was on the verge of breaking up. Original founders were Lord Skidelsky and Danny Finkelstein. [2]

In 1990, it was re-launched as a “non-libertarian free-market body.” It began distinguishing between the social and free market insisting that free market results must be socially acceptable or “fair.” [3]

Although the SMF claims to be free of party attachment, Members of Parliament are part of the SMF Policy Advisory Board. Plus, a number of Conservative and Labour Party Cabinet ministers, and former Prime Minister (PM) John Major, have spoken at SMF seminars.[4]

In 2000, the SMF met with controversy over a speech by PM William Hague. Several supportive editorials arose after it gave the speech to the press a week in advance. Hague had been accused by The Sun newspaper of being “far too nervous of being 'branded jingoistic, nationalistic or racist' to speak out on the 'real issues that engage voters'.” So, he addressed asylum-seekers’ issues during the hyped speech in which he recommended detention of some.

In 2001, the SMF replaced Skidelsky with leading Labour peer Lord David Lipsey. All the SMF directors have been well connected with the government. Former Director Philip Collins was once Tony Blair's top speechwriter and strategic adviser, while Roderick Nye, opposed to Blair, was the policy director for the Tories. [5]

The SMF has a business group that companies like pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline and oil conglomerate Shell pay over £10,000 to join. Director Rossiter contends most of the SMF's money comes from two charitable trusts and that all the research is free from corporate financial influence.

It also appointed a chief economist, for the first time. One of the first economic arguments suggested that the public should be forced to save for a pension unless they specifically opt out. This has stirred heated debates among government officials and others. Now the firm has noticeably taken on many financial-related research projects.

Centre for Global Studies

In 1996, The Centre for Global Studies, [6] was begun as an autonomous body inside the SMF, which was then called the Centre for Post-Collectivist Studies. In mid-2002, the Centre became the successor of the Moscow School of Political Studies, after Professor Lord Skidelsky had ceased to be the Chairman of SMF. This think tank's focus is globilisation, the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and various non-governmental organisations, with a special interest in Russia and other emerging markets.

Contributors

According to SMF Senior Research Fellow Simon Griffiths, the SMF utilises corporate contributions for fringe events, and never for research projects. He claimed that those contributions came primarily from charities, non-profits, foundations and some government organisations.He stressed they were “only” used for special events and seminars. Not for any research projects. However, after a review of the SMF 2005 and 2006 annual reports, there was no clear delineation as to how corporate contributions were actually distributed between programmes versus research projects.

A Freedom of Information Act (FOI) filed with the Audit Commission found it had sponsored “fringe events” for the 2004 Autumn Party Political Conferences at a cost of £8,812.50. The response went on to say that, it no longer holds such detailed information or correspondence relating to the sponsorship, and added that it is not required too retain such information for its financial records.

Another FOI was filed with the Blackpool Council, another SMF corporate donor. However, the Council refused to provide information. Still, a connection between the two was discovered. In 2002, the Daily Mail newspaper revealed a relationship between the Council and the SMF as it was highlighting political journalists who the newspaper believed to be “Blair groupies.” The paper suggested that they could not be impartial due to Labour party ties and/or career-enhancing treatment they’d received as a result of their allegiance to Blair, and it noted that journalist Jonathan Freedland of the Guardian, had spoken in Blackpool at an SMF meeting on the role of the media in politics. In 2001, he had won “The Times Award,” for making 'the best case for Labour'. (The Daily Mail, 2002) According to the SMF website, the foundation has held other events in Blackpool over the years.

2006/2007: Abbey, Alliance Against IP Theft, Boots plc, British Library, British Nuclear Group, British Waterways, BUPA, BP, Camelot Group, Centrica, Cicero Consulting Ltd, Confederation of British Industry, Deloitte, Department for Education and Skills, Detica, E.On, Edexcel, EDF, Electoral Commission, General Teaching Council, GlaxoSmithKline, Go-Ahead Group, Groundwork, Food Agency Services, Halifax Bank of Scotland, Harrah’s Entertainment Inc, Health and Safety Executive, Hutchison 3G, Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Investment Management Association, Jefferson Communications, KPMG, Kraft, Lloyds Pharmacy, Marks and Spencer, Merck Sharp Dohme, Microsoft, Mobile Operators Association, Norwich Union, Ntl, Portman Group, Portland PR, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Provident Financial, Quality Improvement Agency, Rainer, Sanofi Aventis, Sanofi Pasteur, Shell, Standard Life, Standard Life Healthcare, Standard Life Investments, Sutton Trust, Tescos, Ufi / Learn Direct, United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association, West Midland Safari Park, Working Links,

Previous Contributors: Audit Commission, Barclays Bank, Barrow Cadbury Trust, Blackpool Council, Boots, BP International, British Nuclear Fuels, British Property Federation, BSkyB, BUPA, Camelot Group,CBI, Centrica, Chemical Industries Association, Corporation of London, Edexcel, EDS, Electoral Commission, Energywatch, Finance & Leasing Association, Fujitsu, GlaxoSmithKline, Go-Ahead Group, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Learning & Skills Development Agency, Marks & Spencer, Mobile Operators Association, National House Building Council, National Youth Agency, Pfizer, Pharmacia Pharamaceutical Services Negotiating, Safeway Stores, J Sainsbury, Shell International, Specialist Schools Trust, Sugar Bureau, Sun Microsystems, Sutton Trus,t Thames Water Utilities, T-Mobile, UBC Media, Ufi/ Learn Direct, UPS Vauxhall Motors, Vodafone.[1]

Labour Fringe Meetings

SMF organised a wide range of fringe talks at the 2004 Labour Party conference. Many of the discussions were sponsored by companies that have a direct business interest in the topics. Nearly all of the discussion panels feature a Labour minister. For example, the Mobile Operators Association(MOA) sponsored a discussion with the title "Listening to the public: does community consultation improve the planning process?", with environment minister Alun Michael MP on the panel. The MOA has been lobbying for some time to prevent stricter planning regulations on mobile phone masts. The MOA sponsored a similar talk at the 2003 conference.

Staff Blogs

SMF senior research fellow A. Giles noted in his blog meeting several “bright and connected people” while working there. He said he wrote shorter pieces of research that he could see “leading in 4 or 5 obvious directions.” His most significant observation though was that “it is a small world.” He recognised that, “everyone seems to know everyone else” in the think tank world. He emphasised that a “big part of the game” was in knowing the small number of intellectual MP's: David Willets the patron saint; approachable ministers like the Millibands and James Purnell; and journalists and academics who are the policy-making community. He stressed, “Connections matter, and those to the government above all - in think tank world.” Having a Minister come and speak guarantees attendance, makes sponsorship more likely, makes journalistic coverage happen, and “the virtuous circle continues.” [7]


People

Key Staff

  • Ann Rossiter: Director and Chief Executive Officer since Jul '05; a former Director of Fishburn Hedges, the corporate communications consultancy, and Lexington Communications; 4 yrs. in Parliment for John Denham Mp and Glenda Jackson MP on pensions and transport policy; 4 yrs. in BBC Political Policy Unit; board member of OFT Futures Advisory Board
  • Natalie Tarry: Dep Dir/Dir. of Research since Apr '06; 4 yrs. with New Local Government Network, an independent local govt. think tank; prior work at European Parliment;
  • Dermot Kehoe: Managing Dir.; previous 8 yrs. at BBC in Public Policy, Strategy and Comm.; Secretariat to Iraq Commission; previous Director of Fabian Society, specilising in constitution reform and modernising govt.; former broadcaster/producer for GMTV

Board Members

Chairman: Lord Lipsey

Policy Advisory Board Members

The Policy Advisory Board should consist of 25 members who are consulted from "time to time." ('06/07 Annual Report)

Patrons

Other Staff

  • Business Manager: Claire Newman
  • Events Manager: Sally Dobson
  • Conference Manager: Kirstine Roberts
  • Chief Economist: Ian Mulheirn
  • Senior Research Fellow: Simon Griffiths
  • Senior Research Fellow: Jessica Prendergrast
  • Head of Health: Lyndsay Mountford
  • Health Project Leader: David Furness
  • Communications Officer: Robert Sharp
  • Researcher: Barney Gough - Mar '06; co-written publications concerning new forms of equity release schemes and uniform business rates; also a health researcher for SMF; former research intern for Alan Milburn MP; former researcher asst. for interim report of Fabian Commission on Life Chances and Child Poverty
  • Researcher: Rena Menne - Oct '07; researching flexibility and security in the British labour market and behavourial economics
  • Researcher: Tom Richmond - Jan '08; previously taught A-Level Psychology; worked for Westminster MP;
  • Researcher/Events Asst: Beth Foley - Jul '07; intern at Westminster Forum Projects in London and Global Youth Action Network in New York; studied in Berlin through Erasmus Exchange Programme
  • Events Asst: Will Hoyles - Jan '08; previously with East Sussex County Council; intern for Hansard Society and New Local Govt. Network
  • Associate Fellows: Niall Maclean, Saranjit Sihota, Alex Isaac, Robin Harding, Kieran Brett, Theo Blackwell, Vidhya Alakeson, Charitini Stavropoulou

Former Board Members

Former Advisory Members

  • Tim Allan, ex Downing Street spin doctor, then worked for Murdoch's Sky Television
  • Matthew d'Ancona, Deputy Editor, Sunday Telegraph
  • Daniel Finkelstein, Former Tory spin doctor (resigned '06)
  • Deirdre Hutton
  • James Purnell MP
  • Dr Wendy Thomson
  • Shriti Vadera international development advisor to Gordon Brown; (resigned '07)
  • Ian Corfield, Office of Lord Stevenson CBE
  • Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian
  • David Goodhart, Editor, Prospect
  • John Hatherly, M & G
  • John Jackson, Chairman, Countryside Alliance
  • Ruth Kelly MP
  • Calum Macdonald MP
  • Mervyn Pedelty, Chief Executive, Cooperative Bank
  • Marion Poole, General Secretary, National Association of Friendly Societies
  • Ann Rossiter, Fishburn Hedges
  • Chris Walker, Director, Hill Samuel Asset Management

Former Staff

Auditors

Knox Cropper Chartered Accountants 8/9 Well Court London EC4M 9DN


Contact details

Social Market Foundation
11 Tufton St
Westminster
London
SW1P 3QB
02072227060
Website: http://www.smf.co.uk/


External links

Notes

  1. ↑ Corporate donations form 56.06% of its funding, Statutory Bodies and Not for Profits 40.55% and Charitable Trusts 3.39%.
  1. ^ Social Market Foundation [8], accessed 27 April 2008.
  2. ^ Centre for Global Studies [9], accessed 04 March 2008.
  3. ^ Internet Archive [10], "Way Back Machine", accessed 04 March 2008.
  4. ^ Guardian News and Media Limited [11], accessed 04 March 2008.
  5. ^ Source Watch [12], accessed 04 March 2008.
  6. ^ Kavanagh, Dennis "The Reordering of British Politics: Politics after Thatcher", Oxford University Press, accessed 08 April 2008.
  7. ^ Independent Race and Refugee News Network (01 June 2000), "Asylum, popular racism and the local elections", Institute of Race Relations. London, England, UK.
  8. ^ PR Week, LexisNexis [13] "Decade-old AS Biss names ten to watch", accessed 27 April 2008.
  9. ^ The Observer, LexisNexis [14] "The marketing of Blairism: Nick Mathiason meets Ann Rossiter, head of the Social Market Foundation think-tank, and leading light in the Third Way", accessed 27 April 2008.
  10. ^ Interview with SMF Senior Research Fellow Simon Griffiths, conducted by Brenda Steele 21 March 2008.
  11. ^ Freedom of Information Act filed with Audit Commission 04 March 2008.
  12. ^ Freedom of Information Act filed with Blackpool Council 04 March 2008.
  13. ^ The Daily Mail "Meet Blair’s Media Groupies: Who's Who on the Party's Journalistic Sympathisers", 02 October 2002:10.
  14. ^ Employee Blog [15] Giles, A. Senior Research Fellow, accessed 27 April 2008.
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