Bright Blue (organisation)

{{about|the British conservative organisation|the color|blue|the musical group|Bright Blue (band)}}{{Independent sources|date=May 2025}}{{Cleanup press release|article}}{{Infobox organization

| image = File:Bright Blue Logo Updated June 2024 type 2.jpg

| formation = {{start date and age|2014}}

| type = Public policy think tank

| status = Non-profit company

| membership = Around 1,000

| leader_title = Executive chair

| leader_name = Ryan Shorthouse

| name = Bright Blue

| location = London, England

| website = {{URL|http://brightblue.org.uk|www.brightblue.org.uk}}

}}{{Conservatism UK|Organisations}}

Bright Blue is an independent centre-right think tank and pressure group with a mission statement of defending and improving liberal society, based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2014 by British thinker Ryan Shorthouse,{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/new-tory-reformers-a4001661.html|title=The new Tory reformers looking to conquer the centre ground|date=28 November 2018|website=Evening Standard|language=en|access-date=22 October 2019}} Bright Blue aims to "defend and champion liberal, open, democratic and meritocratic values, institutions and policies."{{Cite web|url=https://brightblue.org.uk/about/|title=About|website=Bright Blue|language=en-US|access-date=22 October 2019}} Bright Blue is a membership-based think tank, with membership open to anyone who identifies as a liberal conservative. It publishes political research, recommends and vets public policy, and hosts political events.

The Daily Telegraph has described the organisation as "the modernising wing of the Tory party"{{cite news|last=Dominiczak|first=Peter|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9793318/Conservatives-should-be-the-party-of-the-low-paid-minister-says.html |title=Conservatives should be the party of the low paid, minister says |work=The Telegraph |date=10 January 2013|access-date=30 December 2016}} and the ConservativeHome website has described it as "a deep intellectual gene pool for the Conservative Party's future."{{cite news|last=Hoskin |first=Peter |url=http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2013/01/what-the-tory-modernisers-did-next.html |title=What the Tory modernisers did next |work=Conservative Home |date=9 January 2013|access-date=30 December 2016}} In 2018, the Evening Standard{{Cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/new-tory-reformers-a4001661.html|title=The new Tory reformers looking to conquer the centre ground|last=Balls|first=Katy|date=28 November 2018|work=Evening Standard|access-date=3 January 2019}} noted that Bright Blue "has managed to set the party’s agenda on a number of issues." In 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, it was shortlisted for both UK Social Policy Think Tank of The Year and UK Environment & Energy Think Tank of The Year in the annual Prospect awards.{{Cite news|url=https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/think-tank-awards-2016-the-winners|title=Think Tank Awards 2016|website=Prospect |last1=Team |first1=Prospect }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/think-tank-awards-2017-who-won|title=Think Tank Awards 2017: Who won?|first=Prospect|last=Team}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/sponsored/think-tank-awards-2018-the-full-shortlist|title=Think Tank Awards 2018: the full shortlist|first=Prospect|last=Team}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/think-tank-awards-2019-the-full-results|title=Think Tank Awards 2019—the full results|last=Dean|first=Alex|language=en-US|access-date=24 October 2019}} It was the first centre-right organisation to call for the UK to adopt a legal net zero emissions target.{{Cite web |last=Hansard |first=Robert |date=2018-05-25 |title=UK should adopt new G7-leading legal net zero emissions target, says Bright Blue |url=https://www.brightblue.org.uk/uk-adopt-leading-net-zero-emissions-target/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=Bright Blue |language=en-US}}

The think tank describes its guiding ideas as: optimism about human potential; evidence not ideology; pro-market not free-market; social justice; rewarding contribution; individual success and communal responsibility; open and integrated societies; the importance of institutions; positivity about politics; and citizen power.{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.brightblue.org.uk/who-are-bright-blue/ |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=Bright Blue |language=en-US}}{{Pov inline|date=May 2025}}{{Primary source inline|date=May 2025}}

Research

Bright Blue covers five main research themes in its work, including employment, economic, environmental, social and educational policy.{{Cite web|url=http://brightblue.org.uk/research/|title=Research}} Since its establishment, the think tank published over 100 reports.{{Cite web |title=Library |url=https://www.brightblue.org.uk/library-4/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=Bright Blue |language=en-US}}

= Partnership =

The think tank has worked extensively with multiple various intellectuals and members of parliament,{{Cite news|url=http://brightblue.org.uk/about/parliamentary-supporters/|title=Parliamentary Supporters|work=Bright Blue|language=en-US}} including Simon Hoare, Liam Byrne, James Cleverly, Patricia Hewitt, Robert Jenrick, Carmen Smith, Laura Trott, Jerome Mayhew, Kevin Hollinrake, Wera Hobhouse, Emily Darlington, Bill Esterson, Sajid Javid, Tom Tugendhat, Robert Buckland, David Willetts, Andrew Mitchell, Laura Sandys or Matthew Parris. Michael Gove has described Bright Blue as "the source of radical and exciting ideas that have shaped Government" and Lucy Frazer has called Bright Blue's work "pioneering."

Many of Bright Blue's projects also involve collaboration with partner organisations, such as other think tanks, pressure groups and universities. For instance, it has worked with the left-wing think tank Fabian Society to call for and design a new pensions commission for the UK,{{Cite web |last=Ltd |first=DG Publishing |title=Renewed calls for govt to set up pensions commission |url=https://www.pensions-expert.com/Law-Regulation/Renewed-calls-for-govt-to-set-up-pensions-commission |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=www.pensions-expert.com |language=en-GB}} and it has hosted events with organisations such as UK Finance and Virgin Money.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=The Future of UK Finance |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-future-of-uk-finance |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}} The group works in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a centre-right foundation associated with the Christian Democratic Union which has collaboratively published essays on European climate diplomacy.{{cite web | url=https://www.brightblue.org.uk/bright-blue-the-uk-and-eu-must-work-together-on-shared-climate-threat/ | title=Bright Blue: The UK and EU must work together on shared climate threat | date=23 February 2022 }}

= Influence =

Bright Blue has seen over 90 of its policies adopted by the UK Government. The think tank has had significant influence on a number of Conservative Governments, including those of David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Rishi Sunak.

= Media =

Bright Blue events are routinely covered by UK media, such as The Independent,{{Cite news |last=Busby |first=Eleanor |date=16 January 2024 |title=Young people may be missing out because of home working, says Gillian Keegan |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/business/young-people-may-be-missing-out-because-of-home-working-says-gillian-keegan-b2478896.html |access-date=5 June 2024 |work=The Independent}} City A.M.,{{Cite web |last=Conchie |first=Charlie |date=2024-05-15 |title=City minister: Pension funds need to start pumping cash into London's stock market |url=https://www.cityam.com/city-minister-pension-funds-need-to-start-pumping-cash-into-londons-stock-market/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=CityAM |language=en-GB}} or the BBC.{{Cite news |date=2023-05-19 |title=Woo youth vote or die, Matt Hancock tells Conservatives |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-65636112 |access-date=2024-06-05 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} The same is true of Bright Blue research.{{Cite news |date=2023-01-15 |title=Tory think tank Bright Blue calls for 'minimum income' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64278651 |access-date=2024-06-05 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Bright Blue also often provides political commentary for UK printed and broadcast media.{{Cite web |last=Vaughan |first=Richard |date=2024-05-30 |title=Tories fear Sunak's 'Dunkirk' strategy will alienate young voters |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/tory-sunaks-dunkirk-strategy-young-voters-3081417 |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=inews.co.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-06-03 |title=In The News Archives |url=https://www.brightblue.org.uk/category/in-the-news/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=Bright Blue |language=en-US}}

Organisation

The board of directors is made up of Ryan Shorthouse (executive chair), Alexandra Jezeph, Diane Banks, Phil Clarke and Richard Mabey. It currently has fifteen associate fellow and an independent advisory council of figures from different political and professional backgrounds, including former and current parliamentarians such as Michael Gove, Penny Mordaunt, John Denham, Margaret Hodge, Jake Richards, Andrew Bowie, Ben Houchen, and Vince Cable.

In November 2022, Ryan Shorthouse announced that he would stand down as Director of Bright Blue and step up to chair the organisation, criticizing the Conservative government for having "failed millennials" and citing disagreements over housebuilding policies and soaring childcare costs.{{Cite web |date=13 December 2022 |title=Ryan Shorthouse: I'm losing faith that our current politics can deliver for my generation. Here's a Conservative agenda for change. |url=https://conservativehome.com/2022/12/13/ryan-shorthouse-i-am-losing-faith-that-our-current-politics-can-deliver-for-my-generation-heres-a-conservative-agenda-for-change/ |access-date=20 January 2023 |website=Conservative Home |language=en}}

Funding

Bright Blue is a not-for-profit company that is funded by a range of organisations. It acknowledges its sponsoring partners in all reports and advertising materials, as well as on its website.{{Cite web |title=Our Partners |url=https://www.brightblue.org.uk/support/our-partners/ |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=Bright Blue |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=http://whofundsyou.org/org/bright-blue|title=Bright Blue {{!}} Who Funds You?|website=whofundsyou.org|language=en|access-date=1 April 2019}} The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Lloyds Bank Foundation, and Oak Foundation are some such organisations. In November 2022, the funding transparency website Who Funds You? gave Bright Blue a C grade (rating goes from A to E).{{Cite web |title=Who Funds You? Bright Blue |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/who-funds-you/bright-blue/ }}

''Centre Write''

Centre Write is a British online newspaper published and edited by the think tank Bright Blue. It publishes a spectrum of centre-left, centrist, and right of centre authors. Its focus is on providing a platform for up-and-coming writers to write political opinion pieces.

In the past, its printed magazine has featured contributors such as Tim Yeo, Ben Goldsmith, Suella Braverman, Priti Patel, Frances O'Grady, Chris Grayling, John Hayes, Madeleine Sumption, Paul Blomfield, Vernon Bogdanor, John Curtice, Philippe Legrain, David Blanchflower, Matt Hancock, Vicky Ford, Alan Mak, Nigel Huddleston, Steve Hilton, Paul Goodman, Ed Vaizey, Flick Drummond, Angus Maude, Justine Greening, Nicky Morgan, Douglas Carswell, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Michael Heseltine, Damian Collins, Tracey Crouch, Sam Gyimah, Tim Loughton, Roger Scruton, Nick Gibb, Kwasi Kwarteng, Dehenna Davison, Neil O'Brien, Ben Houchen, Michael Kenny, Rory Stewart, Jesse Norman, Peter Hitchens, Victoria Atkins, Susan Hall, Alicia Kearns, Matt Warman, Tobias Ellwood, Grant Shapps, and Ed Davey, amongst others.{{Cite web |title=Magazines |url=https://www.brightblue.org.uk/blog/magazines/ |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=Bright Blue |language=en-US}}