History
Founded in 1989, the organisation was cited as ‘John Major's favourite thinktank’ and two former directors (Rick Nye and Daniel Finkelstein) left to work for the Conservative Party.
In 2001, Robert, Lord Skidelsky was replaced as chair by David, Lord Lipsey. Since that time, the SMF has moved closer to the Labour Party and has since been regarded as a left of centre think tank. It was associated with some of the policies of Tony Blair's New Labour, particularly issues of public service reform.
In September 2010, Mary Ann Sieghart, the political and social affairs journalist, took over as Chair.
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Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Most events recorded in history are more remarkable than important, like eclipses of the sun and moon, by which all are attracted, but whose effects no one takes the trouble to calculate.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Yet poetry, though the last and finest result, is a natural fruit. As naturally as the oak bears an acorn, and the vine a gourd, man bears a poem, either spoken or done. It is the chief and most memorable success, for history is but a prose narrative of poetic deeds.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Philosophy of science without history of science is empty; history of science without philosophy of science is blind.”
—Imre Lakatos (1922–1974)