Progressive Policies Forum
Encyclopedia
The Progressive Policies Forum (PPF) is a political organization, set up by British
Labour Party adviser John Underwood
, that channelled funds of over £50,000 to Peter Hain
's campaign in the May 2007 Labour Party
Deputy Leadership contest. The news emerged in January 2008 that Hain had failed to declare over £100,000 of donations: the sources of unreported finance, including PPF, therefore became of interest to journalists and politicians.
Gregory McEwen, a solicitor, is the PPF's single director and only shareholder. Westminster insiders, and even MPs supporting Hain's bid for the deputy leadership, appear to be ignorant of the organization's existence. Although it is sometimes characterized as a "think tank
", it has no employees and "has not published any work since its inception in December 2006". Media reports also noted that the organization has no website.
The money provided to Hain breaks down as:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Labour Party adviser John Underwood
John Underwood (PR adviser)
John Underwood is a PR adviser, now executive director of Freshwater UK PLC. He founded the Clear consultancy in 1991 after work as a reporter and presenter for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, including many editions of After Dark...
, that channelled funds of over £50,000 to Peter Hain
Peter Hain
Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
's campaign in the May 2007 Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Deputy Leadership contest. The news emerged in January 2008 that Hain had failed to declare over £100,000 of donations: the sources of unreported finance, including PPF, therefore became of interest to journalists and politicians.
Gregory McEwen, a solicitor, is the PPF's single director and only shareholder. Westminster insiders, and even MPs supporting Hain's bid for the deputy leadership, appear to be ignorant of the organization's existence. Although it is sometimes characterized as a "think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
", it has no employees and "has not published any work since its inception in December 2006". Media reports also noted that the organization has no website.
The money provided to Hain breaks down as:
- Willie Nagel (South African diamond broker): £5,000 plus an interest-free loan of £25,000
- Isaac KayeIsaac KayeIsaac Kaye is a businessman with interests in healthcare, originally from South Africa. He obtained Irish citizenship upon his arrival in the UK in 1985....
(Irish domiciled owner of Israeli healthcare business, largest supplier of generic drugs to the NHS): £15,000 - Michael Cuddy (Welsh businessman): £10,000