Progress (organisation)
Encyclopedia
Progress is a political organisation linked to the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

 in the United Kingdom, founded in 1996. It is broadly viewed as supportive of the leadership of the party, being pro-former leader Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...

. Progress publishes a monthly magazine of the same name and occasional pamphlets, and organises conferences and other events.

Aims

Progress states its aims as follows:

"Progress is an organisation of Labour party members which aims to promote a radical and progressive politics for the 21st century.

We seek to discuss, develop and advance the means to create a more free, equal and democratic Britain, which plays an active role in Europe and the wider world.

Diverse and inclusive, we work to improve the level and quality of debate both within the Labour party, and between the party and the wider progressive community."

History

Progress was founded by Paul Richards, Liam Byrne
Liam Byrne
Liam Dominic Byrne is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Hodge Hill since 2004, and was the Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2009 to 2010 before being appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 20 January 2011.-Early...

 and Derek Draper
Derek Draper
Derek William Draper is a former lobbyist, former editor of the LabourList website, and psychotherapist. As a political advisor during the 1990s he became widely known for his role in two political scandals, "Lobbygate" and "Smeargate".-Biography:Draper was educated at Southlands High School in...

, the former aide to Peter Mandelson
Peter Mandelson
Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, served in a number of Cabinet positions under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and was a European Commissioner...

, as an organisation to maintain the dialogue between Labour's new leadership under Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...

. It has organised many events and conferences, and hosted several important speeches by senior party figures. Its annual conference has become a staple of the political calendar with many cabinet ministers and other leading politicians attending.

Lord David Sainsbury has provided substantial funding for Progress, donating £250,000 in 2008.http://registers.electoralcommission.org.uk/regulatory-issues/regdonregulateddonee.cfm

Pamphlets



The Purple Book

Progress, together with Biteback Publishing, are set to release 'The Purple Book' in September 2011. The current leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband, will write a foreword for the book.
Progress gives an outline of what the book will contain on their website:
'The Labour party is currently going through a thorough and wide ranging policy review. The Purple Book aims to give the best of the non-statist Labour traditions a footing in forming a winning coalition for Labour.'

Chairs and board members

Progress is chaired by MP and former Minister Stephen Twigg
Stephen Twigg
Stephen Twigg is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament for Liverpool West Derby since 2010. He previously served as the Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate from 1997 to 2005, when he lost his seat. He came to national prominence in 1997...

. Its vice chairs are the shadow Education secretary Andy Burnham; current leader of the Labour party Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...

; former Minister Meg Munn
Meg Munn
Margaret Patricia Munn , is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Heeley since 2001.-Early life:...

; former Children, Schools and Families junior Minister Baroness Morgan
Delyth Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Drefelin
Baroness Delyth Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Drefelin sits as a Labour Party peer in the House of Lords of the United Kingdom. She was raised to the peerage in 2004 and has been appointed as Chief Executive of Breast Cancer Campaign...

; and actor Tony Robinson
Tony Robinson
Tony Robinson is an English actor, comedian, author, broadcaster and political campaigner. He is best known for playing Baldrick in the BBC television series Blackadder, and for hosting Channel 4 programmes such as Time Team and The Worst Jobs in History. Robinson is a member of the Labour Party...

.

Progress’ honorary president is Alan Milburn
Alan Milburn
Alan Milburn is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Darlington from 1992 until 2010...

, the former Secretary of State for Health and MP for Darlington.

Directors

There have been six directors of Progress since its inception.
  • Derek Draper
    Derek Draper
    Derek William Draper is a former lobbyist, former editor of the LabourList website, and psychotherapist. As a political advisor during the 1990s he became widely known for his role in two political scandals, "Lobbygate" and "Smeargate".-Biography:Draper was educated at Southlands High School in...

     (former aide to Peter Mandelson)
  • Darren Murphy (former Special Adviser)
  • Patrick Diamond
    Patrick Diamond
    Patrick Diamond worked as a policy advisor under the Labour Party government of the United Kingdom in a role covering policy and strategy. He was previously a Senior Research Fellow at the International Think Tank Policy Network, where he had been previously the Director. He has previously worked...

    (former Special Adviser)
  • Robert Philpot (current director)
  • Jessica Asato (acting director)
  • Richard Angell (acting director)
  • Robert Philpot (current director)

Current Staff

  • Director - Robert Philpot
  • Deputy Director - Richard Angell
  • Editorial and Website Manager - Adam Harrison
  • Events and Membership Officer - Matthew Faulding
  • Events and Membership Officer - Simon Jeffrey

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK