{{About|a charity and think tank|the [[Latter-day Saint|LDS]] history organization|Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Church History}} {{Hatnote|Not to be confused with the [[Adam Smith Institute]].}} The '''Smith Institute''' is a left-wing [[think tank]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. It was founded in memory of [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]] [[Queen's Counsel|QC]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]], former leader of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]].
==History== Its work has focused on regional "rebalancing" away from London towards [[Northern England|the North]], health, housing, community cohesion, employment and pay, and early intervention. It was founded in 1996 in memory of John Smith MP who was leader of the Labour Party until his death in 1994. The Smith Institute describes its purpose as pursuing "policies for a fairer society" and states that it aims to build on John Smith's passion for social justice.
The Institute's director is Paul Hackett,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smith-institute.org.uk/people|title=People - Smith Institute|publisher=|accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref> a former special adviser to John Prescott MP. It has had articles in the ''Observer'' on the regional divide.<ref name="Asthana Helm 2010">{{cite news |last1=Asthana |first1=Anushka |last2=Helm |first2=Toby |authorlink1=Anushka Asthana |title=Government spending cuts will hit northern England hardest |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/may/23/northern-england-government-spending-cuts |accessdate=17 May 2019 |work=[[The Observer]] |date=23 May 2010}}</ref> Its work with the Centre for Social Justice on early intervention has been widely covered.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7615509.stm | work=BBC News | title=UK must 'avert social collapse' | date=14 September 2008}}</ref>
While the Labour Party was in government, a number of the think tank's meetings were held at [[Number 11 Downing Street]], and the organisation allegedly had close ties with [[Gordon Brown]].<ref name="Telegraph2006b">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1535552/Charity-watchdog-to-check-Brown-think-tank.html|title=Charity watchdog to check Brown think-tank|date=2006-11-30|author=Christopher Hope|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> Following a complaint from the right-wing media in 2001, the Smith Institute was the subject of an inquiry by the [[Charity Commission]], which closed in 2002.<ref name="Telegraph2006a"/>
[[Ed Balls]] MP was given a Senior Research Fellowship at the Institute after he left [[HM Treasury]] to stand as a Parliamentary candidate in 2004.<ref name="Telegraph2006a">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1535114/Brown-prepares-team-for-takeover.html|title=Brown prepares team for takeover|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Christopher Hope and Toby Helm|date=2006-11-25}}</ref>
== Funding == In November 2022, the funding transparency website [[Who Funds You?]] gave the institute a D grade (rating goes from A to E). <ref>{{Cite web |title=Who Funds You? Smith Institute |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/who-funds-you/smith-institute/ |language=en}}</ref>
==See also== *[[List of think tanks in the United Kingdom]]
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.smith-institute.org.uk}}
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[[Category:Political and economic think tanks based in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:John Smith (Labour Party leader)]]