“There is a huge opportunity to champion thinking that will shape the policies of politicians and policy-makers at the centre of politics, in the UK and abroad.”
So argues Ben Rich, who – on May 1st – becomes Chief Executive of Radix, the radical centre think tank that first proposed the Common Market 2.0 option.
Radix describes its goal as “a sustainable society where all citizens can live securely with dignity, are active participants in society and free to pursue their own interpretation of the good life.” It boasts former Conservative Cabinet Minister, Lord Lansley, and Labour MP, Stephen Kinnock, amongst its trustees. Rich was formerly Tim Farron’s Chief of Staff and a partner at leading Public Relations firm Luther Pendragon, as well as heading up a major Jewish charity and running a series of successful political campaigns, including the one that led to the introduction of Prime Ministerial debates in 2010.
Rich says:
“Elections are won and lost on the centre-ground of British politics. With the two main parties being dragged to their extremes, the Lib Dems still suffering their post-coalition trauma and Change UK/The Independent Group yet properly to articulate a mission, the territory is wide open.”
“Underpinning the failure of the centre in the UK has been an inability to generate new ideas, learn from experiences abroad or challenge conventional thinking, even before identifying a political champion.”
“In the 1990s, the IPPR drove thinking for new Labour. In the 2000s, it was the Policy Exchange that revived the right at its lowest ebb. Now, in the 2010s, this is the opportunity for Radix. The case for developing a radical centre manifesto has never been clearer and we will welcome the adoption of our proposals by any political party interested in appealing to the winning centre-ground.”
Radix, which was founded in 2016, is the brainchild of Joe Zammit-Lucia, an entrepreneur, investor, leadership advisor and commentator, Nick Silver, an actuary and economist specialising in risk management, social insurance and environmental finance, Nick Tyrone, who has served as Chief Executive for the past three years, and Policy Director, David Boyle, a writer and expert in regeneration and new economics.
Nick Tyrone will take up a new role as Chair of the Radix Fellows with responsibility for building a network that will underpin the intellectual capital needed for Radix to develop the ideas needed for a new political economy fit for the 21st century.
In a further boost, Nick Bowers, after a long career in the City, was recently appointed Radix Chair of the Board of Trustees. Bowers said:
“We are delighted that someone of Ben’s experience and ability has joined Radix as CEO and also that Nick Tyrone will chair our growing group of Fellows. Our continued expansion comes at a time of major challenge and opportunity for the centre of politics. Radix will continue to provide radical thinking for the centre to create positive change”.
