Compass (think tank)

Compass
Formation2003; 21 years ago (2003)
Location
  • United Kingdom
Chair
Neal Lawson
AffiliationsLabour Party
Revenue (2018)
£326,297
Expenses (2018)£323,753
Websitecompassonline.org.uk Edit this at Wikidata

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]

  1. ^ Stratton, Allegra; Wintour, Patrick (17 November 2009). "Compass thinktank considers backing coup against Gordon Brown". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  2. ^ Allegretti, Aubrey (30 June 2023). "Compass chief says he faces Labour expulsion and attacks party 'tyranny'". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 July 2023.