Politeia

Politeia

Background

Politeia is a free-market organisation established in 1995 that aims to act as “a forum for discussing economic, constitutional and social policy,” according to its website.1ABOUT US,” Politeia. Archived January 19, 2019. Archive.fo URL:https://archive.fo/bVbIp

It was listed as one of the organisations consulted prior to the publication of an “ideal” post-Brexit US-UK trade deal by a group of free market think tanks and campaign groups led by the Cato Institute and Institute for Free Trade (IFT).2“The Ideal U.S.-U.K. Free Trade Agreement” (PDF), Cato Institute, September 2018.

Stance on Climate Change

2014

David Howell, former Secretary of State for Energy under Margaret Thatcher, wrote a report on the EU’s energy policy for Politeia in 2014. In it, he wrote:3David Howell. “Britain and the EU: The momentum for European reform” (PDF), Politeia, 2014. Archived .pdf on file at DesMog.

F“Revolutionary changes in energy production and new climate questions have made redundant the EU’s energy and climate goals, to Europe’s severe disadvantage.”

And:

“The energy and climate policy of the EU has all along been dogmatically opposed to coal, gas and oil (until overwhelmed by facts to the contrary).”

In the report, he also described the “the climate policy-makers of Brussels” as “zealots.”

Funding

Financial Disclosures & Other Documents

Key People

Directors

Name2016201720182019
Sheila LawlorYYYY
Brian Williamson YYY
Harold James YYY

President

Name20032010Description
Oliver Letwin YPresident
The Lord ParkinsonY Honorary President

Patron

Name200320092019
George Robinson Y
The Marquess of Salisbury Y
Viscount CranborneY

Consultant Directors

Name20092010
Richard Harris Y
Robin HarrisY

Founding Directors (Listed 2006 through 2010)

Name
Maurice Cowling
Sheila Lawlor
The Lord Pilkington

Academic Advisory Council

Name20002003200520092010201320162019
David DilksYYYYYYYY
Deepak LalYYYYYYYY
Harold JamesYYYYYYYY
Tim CongdonYYYYYYYY
David WilletsYYYYYYYY
Vito Tanzi YYY
Brian WilliamsonYYYY Y
Francis MaudeYYYY
Geoffrey LeighYYYY
Oliver LetwinYYYY
The Lord PilkingtonYYYY
Stuart Wheeler YY
Maurice Cowling YY
Michael Howard YY
Paul Judge Y

Westminster Advisory Council

Name20102019
Francis Maude Y
Frank FieldYY
John Mc FallY
Lord Lexden Y
Lord Mcfall Of Alcluith Y
Michael GoveYY
Vince CableYY

Business Council

Name201320152016
Anthony CoombsYYY
Carl LygoYYY
Chris KinderYYY
Dan Cutts Y
Gerard LyonsYYY
Hugh SykesYYY
John HodgsonYYY
Lord BallyedmondY
Russell Gould Y

Emeritus (Listed in 2005)

  • Douglas Moore
  • The Lord Parkinson

Patron: George Robinson

Hedge fund manager Robinson is listed on Politeia’s website as its patron. He has donated over £400,000 to Conservative party and Tory politicians. He also gave £5,000 to Boris Johnson’s London mayoral campaign. He gave £10,000 to the No Campaign, which campaigned against electoral reform in the UK in 2011. Matthew Elliott – now of the Legatum Institute and Brexit Central, and formerly chief executive of the Vote Leave campaign – was Board Director of the No Campaign.4People,” Politeia. Archived January 19, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/n26m5 5Electoral Commission Search for George Robinson, performed January 2019. Archived data on file at DeSmog. 6Scottish Affairs Committee: Written evidence submitted by No Campaign Limited,” Parliament.uk, May 4, 2012. Archived January 20, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/pWMWk

Academic Advisor: Deepak Lal

Lal sits on the Academic Advisory Board of the UK climate science denial campaign group, the Global Warming Policy Foundation. He is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank in the US with links to major climate science denier funder Charles Koch. He was also described as co-director of the Institute of Economic Affairs‘ “Trade and Development Unit.” IEA is a UK think-tank with strong affiliations to the Brexit campaign.7ACADEMIC ADVISORY COUNCIL: PROFESSOR DEEPAK LAL,” September 30, 2010. Archived January 20, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/Q3Zem 8DEEPAK LAL,” Cato Institute. Archived January 20, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/Xsq59 9Deepak Lal,Cato Unbound. Archived January 20, 2019. Archive.fo URL:https://archive.fo/afkPJ

Lal is or was also a member of the Mont Pelerin Society, created in 1947 by the free market economist and philosopher Friedrich von Hayek and advocates “classical liberalism,” an ideology classified by small government and minimal regulation of business. Many groups associated with the Mont Pelerin Society have ties to climate science denial, DeSmogBlog reported.10“MONT PELERIN SOCIETY DIRECTORY – 2010” (PDF), on file at DeSmog. 11Graham Readfearn. “Mont Pelerin Society A Window Into Ideological Heart Of Kochtopus Climate Denial,DeSmog, January 27, 2014.

Westminster Advisors: Vince Cable, Michael Gove and Frank Field

Cable was elected leader of the Liberal Democrats in 2017. He is listed as being part of Politiea’s Westminster Advisory Council despite being staunchly pro-EU. Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who sits at the heart of a web of lobbyists and think tanks working out of offices on Tufton Street and pushing disinformation on climate change while advocating a hard-Brexit, is also listed as an advisor. Former Labour MP and arch-Brexiteer Frank Field, who resigned from the party after voting against the whip to support the Conservative government’s Brexit agenda, is also on the Advisory Council.12Ben Gartside. “Who will replace Vince Cable as the next Liberal Democrat Leader?Business Insider, September 7, 2018. Archived January 21, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/ITCPg 13People,” Politeia. Archived January 19, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/n26m5

Actions

September 2018

Politeia was listed as one of the organisations consulted prior to the publication of an “ideal” post-Brexit US-UK trade deal by a group of free market think tanks and campaign groups led by the Cato Institute and Institute for Free Trade. Other groups consulted included many residents of offices on Tufton Street, which act as the heart of a network of organisations pushing disinformation on climate change and for a hard Brexit.14“The Ideal U.S.-U.K. Free Trade Agreement” (PDF), Cato Institute, September 2018.

Contact & Address

According to Companies House records, Politeia has the following registered office address:15POLITEIA: Company number 03123505,” Companies House. Accessed January 21, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/jCcSB

5 Fleet Place, London,
EC4M 7RD

Social Media

Other Resources

Resources

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