View source for New Politics Network

{{Infobox organisation
| name                = New Politics Network
| image               = File:New_Politics_Network_Logo.svg
| image_size          = 300px
| alt                 = 
| caption             = 
| predecessor         = [[Democratic Left (Great Britain)|Democratic Left]]
| merged              = 
| successor           = [[Unlock Democracy]]
| formation           = December 1998
| dissolved           = November 2007
| type                = [[Think tank]], [[campaign group]]
| status              = Dissolved
| headquarters        = 6 Cynthia Street, [[Islington]], [[London]], N1 9JF
| coordinates         = 
| region              = [[United Kingdom]]
| membership          = 200–250
| membership_year     = 
| leader_title        = Director
| leader_name         = Peter Facey (final)<br/>[[Nina Temple]] (first)
| website             = {{URL|new-politics.net}} {{small|(defunct)}}
}}
The '''New Politics Network''' (NPN) was a British [[think tank]] and campaign group that operated from 1999 to 2007. Founded as the successor to [[Democratic Left (UK)|Democratic Left]], which was itself the legal successor to the [[Communist Party of Great Britain]], the NPN focused on democratic renewal, constitutional reform, and cross-party political participation.

The organisation had approximately 200-250 members and was governed by an elected Council. Its campaigns included advocacy for [[proportional representation]], [[House of Lords reform]], and lowering the [[voting age]] to 16. The NPN also conducted research on electoral practices and political participation, including what it described as the largest UK-wide study of election literature during the [[2005 United Kingdom general election]]. Major collaborative efforts included the "Elect the Lords" campaign with [[Charter 88]] and the European Citizenship Project.

A 2000 ''[[New Statesman]]'' report indicated the NPN owned assets worth £3.5 million, derived from former Soviet subsidies to the Communist Party. In 2007, the organisation merged with Charter 88 to form [[Unlock Democracy]], with the NPN contributing substantial financial resources to the merger.

==Origin==
The NPN was established in December 1999 following the dissolution of Democratic Left, the [[legal successor (organization)|legal successor organisation]] to the [[Communist Party of Great Britain]].<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://www.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/?page_id=493|title=A short history|work=Unlock Democracy|accessdate=9 February 2010}}</ref><ref name=about>{{cite web|url=http://www.new-politics.net/about-us/|title=About Us|work=New Politics Network|date=4 February 2006|accessdate=24 September 2025|via=Internet Archive|archive-date=4 February 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060204175726/http://www.new-politics.net/about-us/|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> [[Nina Temple]] served as its first director. Prior to becoming the NPN, Democratic Left had briefly operated as the New Times Network, publishing a magazine titled ''New Times'' until summer 1999.<ref name=gold/>

The NPN positioned itself as politically independent, committed to working across the political spectrum and collaborating with individuals from all the main political parties.<ref name=about/> This approach marked a departure from the ideologically focused stance of Democratic Left and its Communist Party heritage.

==Organisation and membership==
The NPN operated as a democratic organisation with approximately 200-250 members.<ref name=gold/><ref name=constitution>{{cite web|url=http://www.new-politics.net/about-us/20031216103359.pdf|title=Constitution and Standing Orders|work=New Politics Network|date=29 June 2002|accessdate=24 September 2025|via=Internet Archive|archive-date=19 December 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051219060105/http://www.new-politics.net/about-us/20031216103359.pdf|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> According to its constitution, membership was open to people from "any part of the world and many political traditions," including socialism, liberalism, anti-oppression movements and environmentalism. Membership fees were set at £6 minimum or £25 recommended.<ref name=constitution/> Governance was provided by an elected Council with gender-balanced representation that met at least four times per year in different locations across the country.<ref name=constitution/> 

The organisation allowed members to participate in autonomous local groups and networks based on location, shared identity, or common interests. These groups were financially independent and established their own objectives while adhering to the NPN's broader aims and values.<ref name=constitution/> The NPN maintained non-party status, permitting members to stand as candidates for their own parties or as independents, but not under the New Politics Network banner.<ref name=constitution/>

==Aims and values==
{{New Times sidebar|organisations}}
According to its constitution, the NPN's stated purpose was to "reconnect politics to people" and create "open spaces in which to deepen democracy, reskill the political process and rekindle enthusiasm for democracy".<ref name=constitution/> The organisation's stated aims included contributing to constitutional reform such as [[proportional representation]] for all elections, strengthening local government, establishing regional assemblies, and creating a written constitution.<ref name=constitution/> Additional stated aims included deepening dialogue about [[European integration]], supporting the [[trade union]] movement, addressing social exclusion and poverty, and promoting environmental and cooperative movements.<ref name=constitution/> 

The organisation's constitution listed values including democracy, empowerment, equality, solidarity, sustainability, and universal human rights, with the stated goal to "negotiate constructively the tensions between these interlocking values".<ref name=constitution/> The organisation's constitutional vision described a society that "meets the basic needs of all", is "free from oppression and exploitation", has "democratic politics and institutions designed to involve citizens", and contributes to "a new global community of co-operation and interdependence".<ref name=constitution/>

==Activities==
The NPN worked with various groups and individuals to facilitate discussion of emerging political ideas. According to its constitution, the organisation aimed to provide independent debate on the future of politics.<ref name=constitution/> It published regular bulletins to encourage networking and skills sharing among activists, and organised Open Forums alongside Council meetings that served as what it termed "a market place of ideas and experiences".<ref name=constitution/> In partnership with the [[Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust]], the NPN funded the [[tactical voting]] website Tacticalvoter.net during the [[2001 United Kingdom general election]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2001/may/31/internet.onlinesupplement1|title=Working the web: Voting alternatives|last=Carus|first=Felicity|date=31 May 2001|work=The Guardian|accessdate=9 February 2010}}</ref> though it was not involved in the similarly named 2005 campaign.

===Campaigns and initiatives===
The NPN coordinated several campaigns and initiatives during its existence.<ref name=campaigns>{{cite web|url=http://www.new-politics.net/campaigns/|title=Campaigns and Initiatives|work=New Politics Network|date=7 February 2006|accessdate=24 September 2025|via=Internet Archive|archive-date=7 February 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207065759/http://www.new-politics.net/campaigns/|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> The "Elect the Lords" campaign, conducted jointly with [[Charter 88]], advocated for replacing the [[House of Lords]] with a predominantly elected second chamber. This campaign received support from organisations including the [[Electoral Reform Society]], Progress and Conservatives for Change.<ref name=campaigns/> 

The organisation operated a European Citizenship Project, an educational initiative that examined [[European Union citizenship]] and the proposed [[Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe|EU Constitution]].<ref name=campaigns/> Through "The Democracy Project," a strategic partnership with Charter 88, both organisations collaborated on democratic renewal issues including [[House of Lords reform]], European citizenship, active citizenship, and [[devolution]] and local governance.<ref name=campaigns/>

Additional initiatives included Party Watch, a database documenting political donations and donor information; the "Votes at 16" campaign promoting the lowering of the [[voting age]] to 16 in all public elections; and participation in the Make Votes Count coalition for [[electoral reform]], where the NPN's director chaired the grassroots committee.<ref name=campaigns/>

===Research projects===
In 2005, the NPN conducted a UK-wide review of election literature during the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 General Election]], which the organisation described as the "largest ever" such study. The project, funded by the [[Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust]], involved 312 volunteers in 223 constituencies who recorded all political party contacts, collecting 3,459 different leaflets and logging doorstep contacts and telephone calls.<ref name=election2005>{{cite web|url=http://www.new-politics.net/news-releases/election-monitoring-2/|title=Think Tank publishes findings of "largest ever" election literature review|work=New Politics Network|date=24 July 2005|accessdate=24 September 2025|via=Internet Archive|archive-date=6 January 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060106171106/http://www.new-politics.net/news-releases/election-monitoring-2/|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref>

According to the research, analysed by Dr Justin Fisher of [[Brunel University]], doorstep and telephone contact was low (2 in 5 respondents were contacted), negative campaigning was more common in marginal seats, and Conservative Party focus on immigration and asylum issues was less prominent than commonly asserted.<ref name=election2005/> Director Peter Facey stated that "voters in the least marginal constituencies were largely ignored" and questioned whether politicians were "actually engaging with citizens at all".<ref name=election2005/>

===Political party reform advocacy===
The NPN participated in debates about political party reform and democratic participation. In September 2005, the organisation wrote an open letter to the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]]'s National Convention opposing proposals to abolish [[One Member, One Vote]] rules for leadership elections.<ref name=conservatives2005>{{cite web|url=http://www.new-politics.net/news-releases/conservatives-open-letter/|title=Think tank calls for Conservatives to rethink leadership rule change|work=New Politics Network|date=2 September 2005|accessdate=24 September 2025|via=Internet Archive|archive-date=6 January 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060106165009/http://www.new-politics.net/news-releases/conservatives-open-letter/|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> 

In the open letter, Director Peter Facey contended that restricting voting to the Parliamentary Party would result in leadership selection by a group he characterised as "overwhelmingly white, male and from the South of England", and proposed "primary-style" elections involving Conservative-supporting members of the public.<ref name=conservatives2005/> The organisation argued that such reforms would require leadership contenders to engage with "the public at large" rather than conduct "a conversation with itself", which it claimed would help recruit new activists and focus debate on "what is good for the country".<ref name=conservatives2005/>

In 2000, [[Nick Cohen]] wrote in the ''[[New Statesman]]'' predicting that the NPN would merge with Make Votes Count and Charter 88.<ref name=gold>{{cite news|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2000/10/up-for-grabs-3-5m-of-stalins-gold|title=Up for grabs: £3.5m of Stalin's gold|last=Cohen|first=Nick|date=23 October 2000|work=New Statesman|accessdate=9 February 2010}}</ref> At the 2003 AGM, [[Nina Temple]] and others attempted to steer the organisation toward its democratic socialist origins. Had this succeeded, the organisation might have joined the [[Compass (think tank)|Compass]] pressure group.{{Original research inline|date=February 2010}}

The NPN was based at 6 Cynthia Street, Islington, London.<ref name=internship>{{cite web|url=http://www.new-politics.net/about-us/internship-programme/|title=Internship Programme|work=New Politics Network|date=6 January 2006|accessdate=24 September 2025|via=Internet Archive|archive-date=6 January 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060106171303/http://www.new-politics.net/about-us/internship-programme/|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> According to a 2000 report by [[Nick Cohen]] in the ''[[New Statesman]]'', the organisation owned assets worth £3.5 million, including a four-storey office building in [[Islington]], a property company called Rodell, and a former party office in the Midlands.<ref name=gold/> These assets were reported to have originated from Soviet subsidies to the Communist Party of Great Britain.<ref name=gold/>

==Merger==
In November 2007, the NPN, then directed by Peter Facey, merged with [[Charter 88]] to form [[Unlock Democracy]].<ref name=history/> The NPN's contribution to this merger was primarily financial, reflecting Charter 88's difficult financial situation. The NPN's slogan "connecting people and politics" was retained by the new organisation.

==See also==
* [[List of UK think tanks]]
* [[Make Votes Matter]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* ''Background Information on the Proposed Merger between Charter 88 and the New Politics Network'' (jointly printed pamphlet, 2007)

==External links==
*[http://www.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/ Unlock Democracy]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.new-politics.net/ New Politics Net] on the [[Internet Archive]]
*[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/thinktanks/page/0,,1092273,00.html Guardian profile]

{{Communist Party of Great Britain}}
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[[Category:Political and economic think tanks based in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Communist Party of Great Britain]]