Compass
is a British
centre-left
[1]
pressure group, aligned with the
Labour Party
which describes itself as: "'An umbrella grouping of the progressive left whose sum is greater than its parts". Like the formally Labour-affiliated
think tank
the
Fabian Society
it is a membership-based organisation and thus seeks to be a pressure group and a force for political organisation and mobilisation.
Compass was launched in 2003 with the publication of a founding statement called
A Vision for the Democratic Left
. Supported by a number of academics and Labour politicians unhappy with the political direction of prime minister
Tony Blair
this was the first attempt by Compass to help guide the Labour government. Since then it has published pamphlets and a series of booklets as part of its Programme for Renewal charting an alternative path for left governments and for centre-left activists in the UK.
In June 2023, it was revealed that the chair of Compass,
Neal Lawson
, is facing possible expulsion from the Labour Party due to allegedly tweeting in support of
Green Party
candidates in 2021.
[2]
Since its inception, Compass has risen in influence and media prominence. The Chair,
Neal Lawson
, has written for
The Guardian
newspaper and when he called for
Tony Blair
to resign in May 2006, it was widely reported elsewhere.
Compass organises an annual conference. The event on 17 June 2006, included many figures identified with Labour and the trade union movement such as
Ed Balls
,
Neal Lawson
,
Derek Simpson
,
Hilary Benn
,
Fiona Millar
,
John Harris
,
Hazel Blears
,
Kevin Maguire
, and
Ed Miliband
. There were calls for, amongst other things, the
abolition of the monarchy
and the destruction of nuclear weapons put forward by the membership.
[3]
In 2006 it merged with the
Catalyst
think tank.
The 2007
Robin Cook
Memorial Conference "Shaping Our Global World", included speakers such as
Ken Livingstone
,
Dave Prentis
,
Frances O'Grady
,
Jon Cruddas
and
Helena Kennedy
as well as panels and seminars organised by groups such as
Unison
,
Friends of the Earth
,
War on Want
,
Liberty
, the
Fabian Society
and the Citizen Organising Foundation.
In 2010, Compass established the High Pay Commission on top pay and inequality, which in turn became the
High Pay Centre
think tank in 2011.
[4]
The Compass website is a source of information about Labour politics with regularly posted opinion pieces written by a wide range of authors with an invitation for responses from readers.
Since a decision in 2011 to open membership to people from other political parties, Compass has lost influence within the Labour Party.
[5]
Programme for Renewal
edit
The Programme for Renewal is the name of the Compass policy review. This has involved commissioned 'thinkpieces' for publication on the organisation's website, seminars, working groups and online discussions involving over a hundred academics, policy thinkers and practitioners. The outcome of this process was three short books.
The Good Society
outlined the Compass conception of a progressive society,
A New Political Economy
explored progressive and alternative economic policies and
Democracy and the Public Realm
looked at the renewal of democratic processes and structures. The text of these books was made available online in order to be subjected to discussion and debate.
This section needs to be
updated
.
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
(
July 2023
)
|
Compass is managed by a committee of persons elected by the membership bi-annually. The Management Committee 'provide[s] strategic direction for Compass and make[s] decisions on behalf of the membership'. In an attempt to promote equality, the Committee has a gender quota. The Committee meets between four and five times a year.
[6]
Compass Management Committee, 2016?2018
[7]
Member
|
Position
|
Anshu Srivastava
|
|
Clive Lewis
|
|
Sian Berry
|
|
Martin McIvor
|
|
Kahra Wayland-Larty
|
|
Hannah Peaker
|
Women's Equality Party
Representative
|
Ruth Lister
|
Chair of the Management Committee
|
Sue Goss
|
Vice-Chair of the Management Committee
|
Mark Cooke
|
Compass Treasurer
|
Paul Pettinger
|
Liberal Democrat
representative
|
Russell Elliott
|
Welsh Representative
|
Francesca Klug
|
|
Jeremy Gilbert
|
|
Compass Management Committee, 2014?2016
[6]
Member
|
Position
|
Neal Lawson
|
Chair of Compass
|
Ruth Lister
|
Chair of the Management Committee
|
Mark Cooke
|
Treasurer
|
Sue Goss
|
Vice-Chair of the Management Committee
|
Lisa Nandy
|
Parliamentary Representative
|
Willie Sullivan
|
Scottish Representative
|
Russell Elliott
|
Welsh Representative
|
Tom Wallis
|
Compass Youth
|
Eliane Glaser
|
|
Indra Adnan
|
|
Mathew Hulbert
|
|
Sian Berry
|
|
Nadine Rae
|
|
Previous members have included MPs
Jon Trickett
and
Chuka Umunna
.
Compass holds an Annual General Meeting open to all members at which the constitution, policy and strategy of the organisation can be debated and amended.
[8]
Compass Youth is an autonomous organisation which aims to engage young people to find out what issues really matter,
[9]
develop their skills to turn ideas into action
[10]
as well as organise and champion campaigns young people can get involved in.
[11]
It is best known for its campaigning on
Votes at 16
, its participative manifesto debates
[12]
and Love Difference festivals.
[13]
It has developed right across the country represented regionally and on university campuses.
[14]
It also has its own YouTube,
[15]
Facebook,
[16]
Flickr,
[17]
and Netvibes channels.
[18]
Sam Tarry MP
, was previously chair of the Compass Youth Organising Committee.
In November 2022, the funding transparency website
Who Funds You?
gave Compass an A grade, the highest transparency rating (rating goes from A to E).
[19]