| Young Britons' Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2003 |
| Location | United Kingdom |
| President | Daniel Hannan[1] |
| Website | www.ybf.org.uk |
The Young Britons' Foundation, abbreviated to YBF, is a British right wing[2][3] not-for-profit training, education and research think-tank, established in July 2003 to "help train tomorrow's centre-right leaders and activists today".
It promotes young conservatives and classical liberals.[2] Its Chief Executive is Donal Blaney, a former National Chairman of Conservative Future,[4] and its Chairman is Patrick Nicholls, former Conservative MP for Teignbridge and Government Minister. Blaney has described YBF as "a Conservative madrasa" that radicalises young Tories.[5] YBF has strong links with the American paleo- and neoconservative movements,[4] and partnerships with American conservative thinktanks and foundations.[4]
YBF claims to be non-partisan[6] though it enjoys close links with the Conservative Party, and the majority of their staff have worked with the Conservative Party in the past;[1] their current President is Daniel Hannan, Conservative MEP for the South East.[7]
In 2010 The Guardian reported that there was "an informal understanding that YBF is the main provider of training for young Conservative activists."[4] 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.[5] In 2010, it was reported that YBF claims to have trained 2,500 Conservative party activists.[5] At least 11 Conservative parliamentary candidates in the 2010 general election have been delegates or speakers at YBF courses.[4]
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.[2][3][8] During the 2008 presidential election, YBF sent a delegation of activists to campaign in the United States for John McCain.[9] In 2010 YBF's executive director addressed the US Conservative Political Action Conference "warning of the dangers of socialism".[10]
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.[8] The renowned author and avowed Eurosceptic Frederick Forsyth is a patron of YBF.[11]
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 and two local councillors.[12]
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[13] warning of the dangers of a hung parliament. There are accusations that this has broken election spending laws as even though they registered with the Electoral Commission, the leaflets did not include an imprint as some consider was required by electoral law.[14]