Reform Scotland
Reform Scotland is a Scottish free market think tank launched on Monday 14 April 2008. It is the Northern outpost of the London based Reform, a Tory think tank.
Contents
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.[1]
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.[2]
Reform Scotland Public Services Report
People
- Geoff Mawdsley ~ Alison Payne[4] The 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@designwork.co.uk) based at 40 Trafalgar Lane, Edinburgh.[5]
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, The Alliance Trust) | Dan Macdonald | 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)[6] 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: Dan Macdonald, (Chief Executive of Macdonald Estates) | Donald Macdonald (Executive Chairman, Macdonald Hotels)[7] |
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)[8]
Trustees circa 2010
Ben Thomson (Chairman) | James Aitken | Isobel d'Inverno (Director – Corporate Tax at Brodies) | Andrew Haldenby | Amanda Harvie (Managing Director, The Harvie Consultancy) | Gregor Stewart[9] Dan Macdonald (Deputy Chairman) | James Aitken (Indpendent consultant and lecturer and former private client and tax solicitor) | Graeme Blackett (Managing Director, BiGGAR Economics) | Andrew Haldenby (Director of Reform)
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)[10]
contact
Executive Centre, 7-9 North St David Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1AW http://www.reformscotland.com/
Notes
- ↑ Morning Star March 17, 2008 Monday Feature - PFI by the back door; Around Scotland, Malcolm Burns reviews the latest goings-on in Scotland BYLINE: Malcolm Burns
- ↑ Ian McKerron Re: spin profiles - reform scotland Email to editor AT spinprofiles.org, Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:24:53
- ↑ Coverage of the report included:
- Sunday Herald April 13, 2008 Sunday Final Edition 'Only 148 officers on beat to police all of Scotland'; POLICING: POLICY; Startling report calls for zero tolerance on crime BYLINE: John Bynorth Home Affairs Editor SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 8;
- Scotland on Sunday April 20, 2008, Sunday 1 Edition A Lesson For Us All BYLINE: Richard Bath SECTION: Pg. 14;
- The Times (London) April 14, 2008, Monday Public services are not working - so why don't we care? BYLINE: Geoff Mawdsley SECTION: FEATURES; Scotland; Pg. 22;
- ↑ The only two people mentioned on the 'under construction' website on Sunday 13 April 2008.
- ↑ Whois entry, accessed 13 April 2008
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Reform Scotland About, accessed 24 April 2008
