ResPublica
{{Short description|British think tank}}
{{Other uses|Res publica (disambiguation)}}
{{Multiple issues|
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{{Use British English|date=September 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox company
| name = ResPublica
| logo = ResPublica Logo New.jpg
| type = Research organisation
| genre = Public policy
| foundation = {{start date and age|2009}}
| hq_location = 15 Whitehall, Westminster, London, United Kingdom
| founder = Phillip Blond
| key_people = Phillip Blond
| industry = Social and political research
| services = Policy analysis and solutions
| num_employees =
| divisions =
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.respublica.org.uk/|ResPublica}}
| footnotes =
| intl =
}}
ResPublica (from the Latin phrase, res publica, meaning 'public thing' or 'commonwealth') is a British independent public policy think tank, founded in 2009, by Phillip Blond.{{cite web |editor-first=Stephen |editor-last=Sackur |editor-link=Stephen Sackur |title=HARDtalk: Phillip Blond, Director of ResPublica |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00njkb5/HARDtalk_Phillip_Blond_Director_of_ResPublica/ |archiveurl=http://bbc.co.uk/i/njkb5/ |archivedate=20 October 2009 |accessdate=21 June 2010 |date=20 October 2009 |work=BBC News Channel}}{{cite web |url=http://drupal.org/node/621856 |title=ResPublica - new UK policy think tank |work=Drupal.org |first=Rob |last=Knight |date=3 November 2009}} It describes itself as a multi-disciplinary, non-party political research organisation, whose stated aim is the creation of bold solutions for enduring socioeconomic problems.{{Cite web |title=About ResPublica |work=ResPublica |accessdate=16 June 2010 |url=http://www.respublica.org.uk/about-respublica |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411000406/https://www.respublica.org.uk/about-respublica/ |archive-date=11 April 2011}}
ResPublica claim its ideas are founded on the principles of a post-liberal vision of the future, which moves beyond the traditional political dichotomies of left and right, prioritising the common good.{{cite web |url=http://www.respublica.org.uk/About-Us |title=About us |work=ResPublica|date=31 October 2014 }}
History
File:Phillip Blond 2, 2018.jpg
David Cameron, then the Leader of the Opposition, spoke at ResPublica's launch in 2009 and, at that time, Blond was said to be a major influence on him.{{Cite news |url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alexsingleton/100018739/is-phillip-blond-now-david-camerons-most-influential-thinker/ |title=Is Phillip Blond now David Cameron's most influential thinker? |first=Alex |last=Singleton |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=3 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208022232/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alexsingleton/100018739/is-phillip-blond-now-david-camerons-most-influential-thinker/ |archivedate=8 December 2009}}
Blond is Director of ResPublica.{{cite web |url=https://www.respublica.org.uk/our-people/ |title=Our People |publisher=ResPublica |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224191422/https://www.respublica.org.uk/our-people/ |archivedate=24 December 2018}} Until 2017, Max Wind-Cowie was Deputy Director for ResPublica North.{{cite web |url=http://www.respublica.org.uk/our-people/the-team/max-wind-cowie/ |title=Max Wind-Cowie |publisher=ResPublica |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219064323/http://www.respublica.org.uk/our-people/the-team/max-wind-cowie/ |archivedate=19 February 2017}}
In 2011, ResPublica made staff redundant after financial troubles resulted in their inability to pay their rent for a time. Blond was later criticised in the media over claims he 'raided' the coffers of his own think tank to pursue a jet-set lifestyle.{{Cite news |url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/Politics/article641515.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322020816/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/Politics/article641515.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 March 2013 |title=Cameron guru's think tank hit by cash crisis |first=Simon |last=McGee |date=5 June 2011 |newspaper=The Sunday Times |url-access=subscription }}
ResPublica was operated by a company called The ResPublica Trust, which entered insolvent administration in February 2019. The assets were bought by The Respublica Partnership Limited in a pre-packaged insolvency.{{cite news |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/3200383 |title=Other Corporate Insolvency Notices - The Respublica Trust |id=CR-2019-000309 |work=The London Gazette|date=31 January 2019 |accessdate=16 June 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/07081565/filing-history |title=The Respublica Trust |id=Company No. 07081565 |publisher=Companies House |accessdate=16 June 2019}}
Notable publications
ResPublica's report "To Buy, To Bid, To Build: Community Rights for an Asset Owning Democracy", launched on 15 November 2010, listed strategies for privatisating underperforming public sector built assets.{{cite web |url=http://www.respublica.org.uk/our-work/publications/buy-bid-build-community-rights-asset-owning-democracy/ |title=To Buy, To Bid, To Build: Community rights for an asset-owning democracy |work=ResPublica |date=15 October 2010 |accessdate=4 April 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.charitytimes.com/ct/ResPublica_To%20Buy_To%20Bid_To%20Build.php |title=ResPublica launches asset owning report
|first=Andrew |last=Holt |date=15 November 2010 |work=Charity Times}}{{cite news |url=http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/97629 |title=Ultimate sell-off |date=14 November 2010 |first=John |last=Millington |newspaper=Morning Star |accessdate=14 November 2010}} Greg Clark MP, Minister of State for Decentralisation at the Department for Communities and Local Government, spoke at the launch, which was hosted at NESTA with the support of the Development Trusts Association.
As part of the report 'The Community Renewables Economy', ResPublica submitted evidence to the Energy and Climate Change Committee's Local Energy consultation, and to the Department of Energy and Climate Change's (DECC) Community Energy call for evidence.{{cite web |url=http://www.respublica.org.uk/item/ResPublica-Responds-to-The-Energy-and-Climate-Change-Committee-s-Latest-Repor |title=Respublica responds to the Energy and Climate Change Committee's Latest Report |work=ResPublica |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214055436/http://www.respublica.org.uk/item/ResPublica-Responds-to-The-Energy-and-Climate-Change-Committee-s-Latest-Repor |archivedate=14 December 2013}}
In November 2013, the motion "to move that this House takes note of the July 2013 report of ResPublica 'Holistic Mission: Social Action and the Church of England'", which was proposed by the then Lord Bishop of Leicester, Tim Stevens, was debated in the House of Lords.{{cite web |url=http://respublica.org.uk/item/Watch-Live-House-of-Lords-debates-Holistic-Mission-Report |title=Video & Transcript: House of Lords debate of Holistic Mission report |work=ResPublica |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214055436/http://respublica.org.uk/item/Watch-Live-House-of-Lords-debates-Holistic-Mission-Report |archivedate=14 December 2013 }}
In July 2014, ResPublica's report 'Virtuous Banking: Restoring ethos and purpose to the heart of finance' was launched at the Financial Times by Sir Richard Lambert, Chair of the Banking Standards Review council.{{cite web |url=http://respublica.org.uk/item/Virtuous-Banking-Placing-ethos-and-purpose-at-the-heart-of-finance-dena |title=Virtuous Banking: Placing ethos and purpose at the heart of finance |work=ResPublica |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140801112912/http://www.respublica.org.uk/item/Virtuous-Banking-Placing-ethos-and-purpose-at-the-heart-of-finance-dena |archivedate=1 August 2014 }} The report featured proposals for a 'Bankers' Oath', which was widely reported in the media.{{*}} {{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-leadership/wp/2014/07/30/a-hippocratic-oath-for-bankers/ |title=A Hippocratic oath for bankers? |first=Jena |last=McGregor |date=30 July 2014 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04bnd0j |title=Today Programme |date=29 June 2014 |work=BBC Radio 4}}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28535001 |title=Bankers 'must swear oath' after scandals, says report |date=29 July 2014 |work=BBC News}}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=http://news.sky.com/story/1309225/bankers-should-be-made-to-take-moral-oath |title=Bankers should be made to take 'moral oath' |date=29 July 2014 |work=Sky News}}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/10995419/Should-bankers-have-to-swear-an-oath-Sir-Richard-Lambert-seems-to-think-so.html |title=Should bankers have to swear an oath? Sir Richard Lambert seems to think so |first=James |last=Quinn |date=28 July 2014 |work=The Daily Telegraph}}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/make-bankers-swear-oath-to-do-good-like-doctors-9634426.html |title=Make bankers swear oath to do good like doctors |first=Roger |last=Baird |date=29 July 2014 |work=The Independent}}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=http://blogs.ft.com/the-a-list/2014/07/29/video-bankers-change-slowly/ |title=Video: Bankers change slowly |date=29 July 2014 |work=The Financial Times |url-access=subscription }}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=http://www.cityam.com/1406680026/oath-pah-how-about-threaten-them-ye-old-bag-adders |title=Banker's oath? Pah, how about threaten them with ye old bag of adders? |first=Gabriella |last=Griffith |date=30 July 2014 |work=City A.M.}}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/29/rotten-banking-culture-lloyds |title=The Guardian view on the latest scandal in a rotten culture |date=29 July 2014 |work=The Guardian}}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=http://www.conservativehome.com/thinktankcentral/2014/07/david-fagleman-when-it-comes-to-the-banks-financial-stability-isnt-enough.html |title=When it comes to the banks, financial stability isn't enough |date=29 July 2014 |first=David |last=Fagleman |work=Conservative Home}}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=http://www.lbc.co.uk/bankers-should-be-made-to-take-moral-oath-94515 |title=Bankers Should Be Made To Take 'Moral Oath' |work=LBC Radio}}
{{*}} {{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/07/29/banks-hippocratic-oath-good-service_n_5629331.html |date=29 July 2014 |first=Asa |last=Bennett |title=Bankers called upon to swear oath not to rip off their customers |work=The Huffington Post}}
In September 2014, ResPublica launched 'Devo Max - Devo Manc',{{cite web |url=http://www.respublica.org.uk/our-work/publications/devo-max-devo-manc-place-based-public-services/ |title=Devo Max - Devo Manc: Place-based public services|date=15 September 2014 }} serving as a roadmap for devolution for Greater Manchester with greater control over finances and an elected mayor. With the signing of the Devolution to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority agreement in November 2014, these changes were adopted by the government and the Combined Authority.
In February 2015, ResPublica published 'Restoring Britain's City States: Devolution, public service reform and local economic growth' at the UK Devolution Summit, jointly hosted by ResPublica and The Core Cities.{{cite web |url=http://m.ft.com/cms/s/0/3eb04f60-ae1d-11e4-8d51-00144feab7de.html |title=UK city council leaders call for Scottish-style tax powers |work=The Financial Times |url-access=subscription }}{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/big-cities-call-for-devolved-powers-to-tax-and-spend-10032636.html |title=Big cities call for devolved powers to tax and spend |first=Jonathan |last=Owen |date=9 February 2015 |work=The Independent |accessdate=4 March 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sundayexpress.co.uk/news/politics/556858/Leaders-of-UK-s-largest-cities-launch-bid-for-more-power |title=Leaders of UK's largest cities launch 'Magna Carta' grab for spending power |first=Caroline |last=Wheeler |date=7 February 2015 |work=Sunday Express |accessdate=4 March 2017}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/scotland/article4348462.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2015_02_08 |title=Cities need to have more power, insists think-tank |first= Hamish |last=Macdonell |date=9 February 2015 |work=The Times |access-date=4 March 2017 |url-access=subscription }}
In November 2015, ResPublica's interim report 'The Care Collapse: The imminent crisis in residential care and its impact on the NHS'{{cite web |url=http://www.respublica.org.uk/our-work/publications/the-care-collapse-the-imminent-crisis-in-residential-care-and-its-impact-on-the-nhs/ |title=The Care Collapse: The imminent crisis in residential care and its impact on the NHS|date=11 November 2015 }} was released (followed up by 'Care After Cure: Creating a fast track pathway from hospitals to homes'{{cite web |url=http://www.respublica.org.uk/our-work/publications/care-cure-creating-fast-track-pathway-hospitals-homes/ |title=Care After Cure: Creating a fast track pathway from hospitals to homes|date=March 2016 }}), which projected that the loss of care home beds would cost the NHS £3 billion. Later, the government released further funds for the sector in the 2015 Autumn Statement.{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/479749/52229_Blue_Book_PU1865_Web_Accessible.pdf |title=PU1865 - Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 - November 2015}}
Funding
In 2018, before its reorganisation in 2019, ResPublica was rated as 'broadly transparent' in its funding by Transparify.{{Cite web|url=https://www.transparify.org/blog/2018/12/17/yu6z844z5sf3vnhvqkegzeefuzv12o|title=Round-Up of Transparify 2018 Ratings|website=Transparify|date=17 December 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-07}} In November 2022, the funding transparency website Who Funds You? gave ResPublica an E grade, the lowest transparency rating.{{Cite web |title=Who Funds You? ResPublica |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/who-funds-you/respublica/ }}
See also
{{Portal|Society|Politics}}
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Respublica}}
Category:Political and economic think tanks based in the United Kingdom
Category:Think tanks based in England