Abbreviation YBF Legal status Defunct | Formation July 2003 (2003-07) Location United Kingdom | |
Purpose Training conservative and classical liberal activists President
Chief Executive Daniel Hannan
Donal Blaney | ||
The Young Britons' Foundation, abbreviated to YBF, was a British conservative not-for-profit training, education and research think-tank, established in July 2003 to "help train tomorrow's centre-right leaders and activists today".
Contents
It intends to promote young conservatives and "classical liberals". Chief executive Donal Blaney has described YBF as "a Conservative madrasa". YBF has strong links with the American neoconservative movements, and partnerships with American conservative thinktanks and foundations.
YBF was launched in July 2003 at a conference of the Young America's Foundation in Washington, D.C., and it has said that it aims to "import American political techniques into the UK". YBF has declared an intention to expose left-wing bias in Britain's universities. YBF was originally based in Regent Street, London, leading some Conservatives to question its funding. YBF claims its funding comes solely from UK private donations.
On 21 December 2015 The Times reported that Donal Blaney had resigned as Chief Executive, following on from the allegations of impropriety towards former YBF director of outreach Mark Clarke. The Times also reported that YBF was likely to close, and as of November 2016 the YBF website was not operating.
Staff
YBF's Chief Executive was Donal Blaney, a former National Chairman of Conservative Future, and its Chairman is Patrick Nicholls, former Conservative MP for Teignbridge and Government Minister. The current president of YBF is Daniel Hannan, Conservative Member of the European Parliament for South East England. The renowned author and avowed Eurosceptic Frederick Forsyth is a patron of YBF.
As of September 2010, YBF's "advisory board" includes Matthew Elliott, founder of the UK TaxPayers' Alliance, and representatives of the Heritage Foundation (a US conservative thinktank), US Competitive Enterprise Institute and American Conservative Union (a US conservative lobbying organisation). It also includes the founder of the US Leadership Institute, the President of the US Jesse Helms Center, the President of the Young America's Foundation, the co-founder of the US Henry Jackson Society and a former Executive Director of the Collegiate Network. British representatives include Professor Patrick Minford, blogger Iain Dale (who resigned in the same year) and two local councillors. Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, was a member of the YBF's parliamentary council. Conor Burns was until shortly before becoming an MP in 2010 the vice-president of YBF.
Donal Blaney stated that the Young Britons' Foundation was largely funded by himself, at a cost of about £50,000 per year.
Training
In 2010, The Guardian reported that there was "an informal understanding that YBF is the main provider of training for young Conservative activists." in 2010, Conservative Party Chairman Eric Pickles, Shadow Home Minister Andrew Rosindell and Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox spoke at the annual YBF Parliamentary Rally at the House of Commons. In 2010, it was reported that YBF claims to have trained 2,500 Conservative party activists. At least 11 Conservative parliamentary candidates in the 2010 general election have been delegates or speakers at YBF courses.
Training costs are subsidised and cost about £45 for students, including accommodation and meals. Training and conferences are carried out under Chatham House Rule.
Campaigning
In the last days of the United Kingdom general election, 2010 over 500,000 leaflets were delivered by YBF to over 20 LibDem/Conservative marginals across the country warning of the dangers of a hung parliament.
During the 2008 presidential election, YBF sent a delegation of activists to campaign in the United States for John McCain. In 2010, YBF's executive director addressed the US Conservative Political Action Conference "warning of the dangers of socialism".
In the 2013 elections to the Common Council of the City of London the YBF ran around 20 candidates challenging the City Establishment.
The 2015 YBF conference was cancelled after allegations of impropriety towards former YBF director of outreach Mark Clarke. Six Cabinet ministers due to speak at the conference had previously withdrawn, citing diary clashes.