6 Policy Exchange: The Pros and Cons of Political Centrality 193
Director Dean Godson,2 and PX’s successive Chairmen of the Board of Trustees: Times columnist and future Minister Michael Gove3 (2002– 2005), former Daily Telegraph Editor Charles Moore4 (2005–2011), former Times Executive Director Daniel Finkelstein5 (2011–2014), and, across the pond, The Atlantic Senior Editor David Frum.6 To add further examples of PX’s political connections: future Conservative MPs Jesse Norman,7 Charlotte Leslie, and Chris Skidmore were PX employees—Norman was Executive Director (2005–2006), Leslie and Skidmore were Research Fellows. The future Policy Director for the Prime Minister’s Office James O’Shaughnessy8 was Deputy Director (2004–2007), followed in the same position by now Baroness Natalie Evans9 (2008–2011). Also, DEFRA Special Advisers Amy Fischer and Ruth Porter were, respectively, Head of Communications (2008–2010) and Head of ‘Economics & Social Policy’ (2014). Given these connections to the Conservative party, PX has been considered a ‘revolving door,’ a recruitment ground for “the party’s best” (Pautz 2012: 8–9), a factory of suitable policy proposals and, perhaps more importantly, the crucible of new ideas for the centre-right’s policymaking elite (Financial Times 2008b). As such, particularly after 2005, PX members partook in the formulation of the Conservative platform in succeeding elections. Indeed, the shift from a discourse narrowly
2Dean
Godson joined PX in 2005, and was previously Chief Leader Writer of The Daily Telegraph, Associate Editor of The Spectator, and Contributing Editor for Prospect Magazine. 3Michael Gove became an MP in 2005 and later Education, Justice, and Environment Secretary. 4Charles Moore is former editor of The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph, and The Spectator. After leaving his post at PX, Moore wrote the authorised biography of Margaret Thatcher. 5Daniel Finkelstein is former Director of the think tank Social Market Foundation and became Member of the House of Lords in 2013. 6Daniel Frum was a speechwriter for US President George W. Bush and Chairman of American Friends of PX. 7As reported in Chapter V, Jesse Norman is also member of NIESR’s Board of Trustees. 8James O’Shaughnessy co-authored the Coalition’s programme, was “Director of the Conservative Research Department from 2007 and 2010, and helped write the Conservative Party’s general election manifesto,” accessed 3 March 2016. http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/ people/alumni/item/james-o-shaughnessy?category_id=45. 9Natalie Evans is also former Head of Operations at the New Schools Network, a Charity supporting new independent schools.
