View source for Social Market Foundation

{{Short description|British think tank}}
{{Infobox organization
| image                    = SMF LOGO RGBcolour.jpg
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| predecessor              = 
| merged                   = 
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| formation                = {{start date and age|1989}}
| extinction               = 
| type                     = [[Think tank]]
| status                   = [[Charitable organization|Charity]]<ref name="smf.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.smf.co.uk/|title=Home, The Social Market Foundation (SMF) think tank - Social Market Foundation|website=Social Market Foundation|accessdate=6 October 2017}}</ref>
| purpose                  = "To advance the education of the public in the economic, social and political sciences"<ref name="smf.co.uk"/>
| headquarters             = Third Floor, 5-6 St Matthew Street, London, SW1P 2JT [[Westminster]], [[London]], [[United Kingdom]]<ref name="smf.co.uk"/>
| coords                   = {{coord|51.5073509|-0.127758|display=inline,title}}<ref name="smf.co.uk"/>
| services                 = 
| language                 = English<ref name="smf.co.uk"/>
| leader_title             = Director
| leader_name              = Theo Bertram<ref name="Bertram">"https://www.smf.co.uk/the-social-market-foundation-appoints-theo-bertram-as-new-director"</ref>
| leader_title2            = Research Director
| leader_name2             = Dr Rebecca Montacute<ref name="Bertram"/>
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| affiliations             = [[Social Democratic Party (UK, 1988)|'Continuing' SDP]] {{small|(1989–90)}}<br/>[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]]<br/>[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]<br/>[[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]]<ref name="smf.co.uk"/>
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| name                     = Social Market Foundation
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| image_size               = 200px
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| abbreviation             = SMF
| founder                  = [[Robert Skidelsky, Baron Skidelsky|Robert Skidelsky]]<br/>[[Daniel Finkelstein]]
| merger                   = 
| tax_id                   = <!-- or | vat_id = (for non-profit org) -->
| registration_id          = 1000971<ref name="charitycommission.gov.uk">{{cite web|url=http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1000971&SubsidiaryNumber=0|title=Charity overview|website=charitycommission.gov.uk|accessdate=6 October 2017}}</ref>
| location                 = 
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| fields                   = [[Cost of living]], [[productivity]], [[financial services]], Public Sector Reform<ref name="smf.co.uk"/>
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| revenue                  = £826,860<ref name="charitycommission.gov.uk"/>
| disbursements            = 
| expenses                 = £810,360<ref name="charitycommission.gov.uk"/>
| endowment                = 
| staff                    = 14<ref name="charitycommission.gov.uk"/>
| mission                  = 
| website                  = [http://www.smf.co.uk www.smf.co.uk]
}}

The '''Social Market Foundation''' ('''SMF''') is an independent [[United Kingdom|British]] political public policy [[think-tank]] based in [[City of Westminster|Westminster]], [[London]]. It is one of the 'Top 12 Think Tanks in Britain'<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/1576447/The-top-twelve-think-tanks-in-Britain.html|title=The top twelve think tanks in Britain|first1=Toby|last1=Helm|first2=Christopher|last2=Hope|date=6 October 2017|publisher=|accessdate=6 October 2017|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> and was named 'UK Think Tank of the Year' by [[Prospect (magazine)|Prospect]] in 2012.<ref name="prospectmagazine.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/think-tank-of-the-year-awards-2012|title=Think Tank of the Year Awards 2012|last=Prospect|website=prospectmagazine.co.uk|accessdate=6 October 2017}}</ref> Its purpose is to "advance the education of the public in the economic, social and political sciences" and to "champion ideas that marry a pro-market orientation with concern for social justice".<ref name="smf.co.uk"/> Policy ideas are based on the concept of the [[social market economy]].

== History ==
Founded in 1989, the organisation was established by individuals close to [[David Owen|David Owen's]] [[Social Democratic Party (UK, 1988)|'continuing' Social Democratic Party]], which had itself been formed the year beforehand by those members of the original [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|SDP]] who refused to accept that party's merger with the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberals]]. Owen had made much use of the term 'social market' (when describing the economic model he espoused) as an alternative to [[Thatcherism]], and upon the Foundation's establishment he was made one of its trustees.<ref name="Owenbiog">David Owen, ''Time to Declare'' (London: Penguin, 1992), p. 802. {{ISBN|9780140148053}}</ref> The Foundation's first executive director was the 'continuing' SDP peer [[Alastair Boyd, 7th Baron Kilmarnock|Lord Kilmarnock]], and its chairman from 1991 was [[Robert Skidelsky, Baron Skidelsky|Robert Skidelsky]], Professor of Political Economy at [[Warwick University]], who was responsible for much of the Owenite SDP's economic policy, having written a [[green paper]] on the social market economy for the party's first conference in September 1988.<ref name="Owenbiog"/><ref>Robin Oakley, "A few problems with party's 'very own big idea'", ''The Times'', 20 September 1988, p. 4.</ref>

Following the demise of the 'continuing' SDP in 1990, the Foundation gravitated to the post-Thatcher [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], and in press circles it was often cited as "[[John Major]]'s favourite thinktank".<ref>Shrimsley, R (1995), 'Defector from SDP to head Tory research', ''Financial Times'', August 24, p. 7</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnmajor.co.uk/page1384.html |title=Mr Major's Speech to the Social Market Foundation |publisher=John Major |date=9 September 1994 |accessdate=23 March 2014}}</ref> Skidelsky himself joined the Conservatives in 1992, shortly after being made a life peer by the government, while two directors, Rick Nye and [[Daniel Finkelstein]], both former SDP activists and political advisers to David Owen, later left the Foundation to work for the [[Conservative Research Department]].<ref name=newstatesman-20090529/>

In the late 1990s the Foundation moved closer to [[New Labour]], with [[Gordon Brown]] giving a speech about 'social markets' at the Foundation in 2003,<ref name=newstatesman-20090529>{{cite news |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2009/04/market-foundation-social-party |title=Social Market Foundation |newspaper=New Statesman |date=29 May 2009 |accessdate=23 March 2014}}</ref> and SMF publishing a paper by Gordon Brown in 2004.<ref>{{cite report |url=http://dspace.cigilibrary.org/jspui/bitstream/123456789/23454/1/A%20Modern%20Agenda%20for%20Prosperity%20and%20Social%20Reform.pdf |title=A Modern Agenda for Prosperity and Social Reform |author=Gordon Brown |publisher=Social Market Foundation |date=May 2004 |accessdate=23 March 2014}}</ref> In 2001, Lord Skidelsky was replaced as chair by [[David Lipsey, Baron Lipsey|David, Lord Lipsey]], who in the 1970s had been a special adviser to the Labour politician [[Anthony Crosland]].<ref>{{Who's Who | title=Lipsey | id = U24646 | volume = 2023 | edition = online}}</ref> The Foundation was thus associated with some of the policies of New Labour, particularly issues of public service reform.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}}

In September 2010 [[Mary Ann Sieghart]], the political and social affairs journalist, took over as Chair.

== Policy goals ==

The SMF’s remit is to focus on domestic public policy, particularly the public services and welfare. The majority of publications are therefore focused on issues concerning education, health care and employment. However it also produces publications on wide-ranging subjects such as road-pricing, [[casino]]s and [[energy]] policy.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

The SMF has a 20 member Policy Advisory Board, which as of 2018 included the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Members of Parliament]] (MPs) [[Stephen Kinnock]], [[Norman Lamb]], [[Chris Leslie]], [[Alison McGovern]], [[Tom Tugendhat]], [[Chuka Umunna]] and [[John Woodcock (politician)|John Woodcock]].<ref name=smf-aboutus>{{cite news |url=http://www.smf.co.uk/about-us/ |title=About Us |work=Social Market Foundation. |publisher=Social Market Foundation |accessdate=21 August 2018}}</ref>{{needs update|date=August 2025}}

== Funding ==
In November 2022, the funding transparency website [[Who Funds You?]] gave The Social Market Foundation a B grade (rating goes from A to E).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who Funds You? Social Market Foundation |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/who-funds-you/social-market-foundation/ }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of UK think tanks]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.smf.co.uk Official website]
* {{EW charity|1000971|The Social Market Foundation}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Political and economic think tanks based in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Political and economic research foundations]]
[[Category:Think tanks based in the United Kingdom]]