Social Market Foundation
The Social Market Foundation is a London-based think tank established "to provide a source of innovative economic and social policy ideas"[1]. Located in close proximity to the houses of Parliament, the SMF has been influential in helping with the development of policies in the areas of health, education, welfare and pensions policy reform[2]. The Social Market Foundation, as the name suggests, attempts to develop ideas based on a fusion of the two themes of social justice and neo-liberal economics[3].
Contents
History
The Social Market Foundation was founded in 1989 out of the ashes of David Owen's Social Democratic Party (SDP). It was created by supporters of Owen although it has never been officially affiliated with any political party. The think tank was originally linked to One Nation Conservatism however since the late 1990's it has been more closely identified with New Labour. In 2003 Gordon Brown delivered a keynote speech to the foundation on the subject of social markets[4].
Conservative Think Tank
In its early years of the SMF and up until the dawn of New Labour the thinktank was closely connected to The Conservatives. Former SMF directors Rick Nye and Daniel Finkelstein, went on to become Conservative advisers[5]. As late as 2000 the SMF described itself as "steering an independent course between conflicting ideologies of conservatism and social democracy"[6].
Personnel
Key Officers
David Lipsey (Lord Lipsey of Tooting Bec), Chairman | | Ian Mulheirn, Director | Natalie Tarry, Deputy Director | Simon Griffiths | Jessica Prendergrast | Will Hoyles
Policy Advisory Board
George Osborne | Vince Cable | Trevor Phillips
Previous Board Members
Robert Skidelsky, Former Chairman | Rick Nye, Former Director | Daniel Finkelstein, Former Director | Philip Collins, Former Director | Ann Rossiter Former Deputy Director
Funding
The SMF is funded by charitable foundations, companies and individual donors.[7].
Location and Contact Details
The Social Market Foundation is located in at an address which is also used by the Adam Smith Institute to host events[8]. The building is located in close proximity to the Houses of Parliament.
- Contact Details
- Address: 11 Tufton St, London, SW1P 3QB
- Telephone: 020 7222 7060
- Fax: 020 7222 0310
- Email: info@smf.co.uk
- Website: www.smf.co.uk
Notes
- ↑ Social Market Foundation, About Us, SMF Website, Accessed 09-June-2009
- ↑ Social Market Foundation, Thinktanks in the news, The Guardian, Accessed 09-June-2009
- ↑ Social Market Foundation,About Us, SMF Website, Accessed 09-June-2009
- ↑ Social Market Foundation, Politics, The New Statesman, Accessed 09-June-2009
- ↑ Social Market Foundation, Politics, The New Statesman, Accessed 09-June-2009
- ↑ Social Market Foundation, Social Market Foundation, Web Archive, 12-December-1998, Accessed 09-June-2009
- ↑ Social Market Foundation, Thinktanks in the news, The Guardian, Accessed 09-June-2009
- ↑ January Events, Geoffrey Clinton-Brown MP talk, Conservative Blogs, Accessed 09-June-2009
