News & Comment
News & Comment
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Pryce is New Chair
One of UK’s leading economic voices, Vicky Pryce, succeeds Michael Holland as chair of the independent systems-change think-tank, Radix Big Tent. A regular on television, radio and podcasts, Vicky is Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research and Chair of the Economic Advisory Board of the British Chambers of Commerce. She is also a Visiting Professor at King's College London.
Read more here.
System reform to drive UK infrastructure and transitional investment
The UK is still one of the world’s global financial centres and yet very little of the money passing through our financial system is invested here. To understand why in February, Radix Big Tent formally launched its New Capital Consensus programme with Pensions Minister, Torsten Bell MP. NCC explores through behavioural, political and regulatory levers how the UK investment system contributes to poor productivity, inequality and low levels of investment. It is now working with Parliamentarians, policy makers and the industry to promote reforms to redesign this system.
Read about our first year achievements here.
Democracy under threat
As shown by the recent £9million donation to Reform UK by Thai-based, crypto-investor Christopher Harborne, UK democracy is now at risk of serious distortion for less than a tenth of the price of a Premiership footballer. This fear prompted, Radix Big Tent - in partnership with Unlock Democracy and Compassion in Politics - to convene the first Resilient Democracy conference at St George’s House in the grounds of Windsor Castle earlier this year. Attended by mass membership organisations such as Greenpeace and the RSPB as well as democracy campaigners the conference established a common programme of activity ahead of the forthcoming Elections Bill. Together the organisations involved aim to press the Government to use the opportunity to reform political finance and improve political ethics, as well as introducing manifesto pledges of votes at 16 and automatic voter registration.
The UK is still one of the world’s global financial centres and yet very little of the money passing through our financial system is invested here. To understand why in February, Radix Big Tent formally launched its New Capital Consensus programme with Pensions Minister, Torsten Bell MP. NCC explores through behavioural, political and regulatory levers how the UK investment system contributes to poor productivity, inequality and low levels of investment. It is now working with Parliamentarians, policy makers and the industry to promote reforms to redesign this system.
Read about our first year achievements here.
How to deliver 1000 homes per day
Throughout the year, Radix Big Tent’s Housing Commission’s Leaders Group has continued to make recommendations to the Government to support delivery of its 1.5million homes target for the Parliament. With nine of the Housing Commission’s fifteen recommendations in its original Report, Beyond the Permacrisis, now being implemented, further reports on Unblocking the Ecosystem and Homes without Harm have been well-received both by industry and policymakers throughout the year. Membership of the multi-disciplinary, invitation-only Leader’s Group has been expanded.
To learn more about the Group’s achievements this year click here, and to find out more about membership click here.
Health on the High Street
We are currently looking for funders to support our new Commission on the role of health in reviving UK High Streets, following our successful launch event last month chaired by Guardian Health Correspondent, Denis Campbell. The Commission aims to operate along similar lines to our highly impactful Housing Commission (see above).
If you would like to learn more, please email ben@radixbigtent.org.uk.
New Board Members and Fellows
Over the past year, we have been delighted to welcome to our Board, the Chair of the Lib Dem Parliamentary Party and MP for North Norfolk, Steffan Aquarone. Former Attorney General and Conservative MP, Dominic Grieve, has become a Radix Big Tent fellow, as has Alex Notay, chair of the Housing Commission and incoming Chief Executive of the Housing Forum.
A platform for discussion
From day one, at the heart of Radix Big Tent’s mission has been to provide a platform to help influence the political debate and promote new public policy ideas. Our live events and monthly webinars are central to this mission and over the past year have continued to attract large audiences to hear eminent academics, writers and policy makers such as Sir John Kay, Julia Hobsbawm, Sony Kapoor, and Prof Tony Travers. Our series continues next year on Wednesday 14th January with our rescheduled discussion between former Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liam Byrne MP and former Science Minister, George Freeman MP on wealth inequality.
To register for this event and keep abreast of all our future plans click here.
Chess Masterminds
Radix’s ad hoc Chess Team defeated the UK Parliamentary Chess Club in a play off in Portcullis House last month. Led by Chess Candidate Master (and ringer) Aaron Rich, son of Radix CEO, Ben, Radix defeated a Parliamentarian team including Wolverhampton MP, Warinder Juss, and top Government lawyer, Lord Carter of Hazelmere by 11-3.
The Bras have it
Congratulations to Roșie Halsall, winner of the first ever Youth Policy Ideas Competition, run by Radix Big Tent’s youth think-tank, Politika. Her proposal, to protect women’s health and save the NHS money by providing free sports bras and fittings via Secondary Schools won praise from The Rest is Politics podcast and was widely covered across the BBC. Rosie, 18, mentored by Radix Big Tent, is now in discussions Sheffield United on how to implemented her proposals across the city.
And finally…
Radix Big Tent is the system change think tank. We believe that real change requires radical thinking coupled to practical solutions. Our focus is on finding viable political pathways to fundamental change by understanding the systemic and practical obstacles to reform, identifying solutions and framing arguments accordingly.
Our unique theory of change builds on the legacy of our two parent organisations:
If you would like to get involved in Radix Big Tent by joining our network, supporting us financially or becoming involved in any of the programmes above please get in touch.