The Enterprise Forum
Encyclopedia
The Enterprise Forum is an independent, British, not-for-profit organisation that was founded in 1997 to facilitate discussions on policy between the Business Community and the Conservative Party
. In 2010 the organisation began engagement with the Liberal Democrats
in light of the formation of the Coalition Government
The Enterprise Forum is run by an unpaid board of senior directors drawn from business and industry. The organisation does not take a position on policy, and does not donate to or receive donations from any Political Party.
through a desire to ensure business involvement in the Conservative Party's policy development. Its aim is to improve the quality and flow of information between the business community and the Conservative Party. Alistair Burt was the first Chairman of the Enterprise Forum. The Chairman is Andrew Cumpsty who took over from Alistair Burt due to his re-election to Parliament in 2001.
The first formal meeting, held in Autumn 1997, by the Enterprise Forum was with Peter Lilley
MP, the then Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party. Since that time the Enterprise Forum has had virtually every front bench Conservative Politician speak at one of its meetings.
MP, Minister of State for Pensions. The meeting was held on the one year anniversary of the Coalition (12 May 2011).
The programme of events is determined by the policy priorities of the member organisations. All meetings are held under the Chatham House Rules.
Additionally, the Forum also engages with key policy stakeholders outside of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Parties. These have included Director Generals at the CBI, Deputy Governors at The Bank of England and the First Minister of Northern Ireland.
MEP and Malcolm Harbour
MEP are the representatives for The Enterprise Forum in The European Parliament. The Enterprise Forum holds regular European Parliament update meetings in London.
MP (Founder and former Chairman of the Enterprise Forum), The Rt Hon Theresa Villiers
MP and Mark Prisk
MP.
Former directors of the Enterprise Forum that have gone on to become MPs are David Gauke
MP, Stephen Barclay
MP , Oliver Colvile MP
and Laura Sandys MP
.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. In 2010 the organisation began engagement with the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
in light of the formation of the Coalition Government
The Enterprise Forum is run by an unpaid board of senior directors drawn from business and industry. The organisation does not take a position on policy, and does not donate to or receive donations from any Political Party.
History
The Enterprise Forum was founded in 1997 by Andrew Cumpsty and Alistair BurtAlistair Burt
Alistair James Hendrie Burt is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Bedfordshire...
through a desire to ensure business involvement in the Conservative Party's policy development. Its aim is to improve the quality and flow of information between the business community and the Conservative Party. Alistair Burt was the first Chairman of the Enterprise Forum. The Chairman is Andrew Cumpsty who took over from Alistair Burt due to his re-election to Parliament in 2001.
The first formal meeting, held in Autumn 1997, by the Enterprise Forum was with Peter Lilley
Peter Lilley
Peter Bruce Lilley MP is a British Conservative Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament MP since 1983. He currently represents the constituency of Hitchin and Harpenden and, prior to boundary changes, represented St Albans...
MP, the then Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party. Since that time the Enterprise Forum has had virtually every front bench Conservative Politician speak at one of its meetings.
Liberal Democrats
A decision by the Board of Directors, after the May 2010 General Election and the formation of the Coalition Government, was that the programme of events should also include Liberal Democrat MPs. The first Liberal Democrat to speak at an Enterprise Forum event was Steve WebbSteve Webb
Steven John Webb, better known as Steve Webb , is an English Liberal Democrat politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Thornbury & Yate and the Minister of State for Pensions.-Background:...
MP, Minister of State for Pensions. The meeting was held on the one year anniversary of the Coalition (12 May 2011).
Membership and meetings
The Enterprise Forum’s members are businesses and organisations that want to engage on policy with the Coalition Government or before 2010, the Conservative Party. Membership includes commercial organisations (including FTSE 100 companies and SME’s), trade associations and charities .The programme of events is determined by the policy priorities of the member organisations. All meetings are held under the Chatham House Rules.
Additionally, the Forum also engages with key policy stakeholders outside of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Parties. These have included Director Generals at the CBI, Deputy Governors at The Bank of England and the First Minister of Northern Ireland.
European Parliament Representatives
Giles ChichesterGiles Chichester
Giles Chichester is a British Conservative Party politician, and a Member of the European Parliament for South West England and Gibraltar. He was elected as a temporary Vice President of the European Parliament on 6 July 2011 to replace Silvana Koch-Mehrin who had resigned over plagiarism...
MEP and Malcolm Harbour
Malcolm Harbour
Malcolm Harbour is a British politician. He is a Conservative Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands. He is a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group and the Chairman of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection.-Motor industry:Malcolm Harbour was...
MEP are the representatives for The Enterprise Forum in The European Parliament. The Enterprise Forum holds regular European Parliament update meetings in London.
President, vice presidents and alumni
The President of the Enterprise Forum is The Lord MacLaurin of Knebworth DL. Vice-Presidents of the Enterprise Forum are Alistair BurtAlistair Burt
Alistair James Hendrie Burt is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Bedfordshire...
MP (Founder and former Chairman of the Enterprise Forum), The Rt Hon Theresa Villiers
Theresa Villiers
Theresa Anne Villiers is a British Conservative Party politician. She is the Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet and the Minister of State for Transport.She was appointed as a Privy Counsellor on 9 June 2010.-Early life:...
MP and Mark Prisk
Mark Prisk
Michael Mark Prisk is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He is the Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford, and was appointed Minister of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in May 2010...
MP.
Former directors of the Enterprise Forum that have gone on to become MPs are David Gauke
David Gauke
David Michael Gauke British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for South West Hertfordshire and current Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.-Early life:...
MP, Stephen Barclay
Stephen Barclay
Stephen Paul Barclay is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom who has been the Member of Parliament for North East Cambridgeshire since May 2010.-Early life and education:...
MP , Oliver Colvile MP
Oliver Colvile
Oliver Newton Colvile is the ConservativeMember of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport. He won the seat from the Labour candidate Linda Gilroy at the May 2010 general election.-Background:...
and Laura Sandys MP
Laura Sandys
Laura Jane Sandys is a British Conservative Party politician. She has been the Member of Parliament for South Thanet since the general election on 6 May 2010.-Early life:...
.