Prospect held its 11th annual think tank awards last night, presented by Vince Cable, the business secretary and Bronwen Maddox, Prospect’s editor. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) claimed the top prize.
Prospect’s awards, described on Radio 4 as “the Oscars of the think tank world,” received a record number of entries from both inside and outside the UK. The ceremony was held at a packed Church House in Westminster.
Accepting the top prize on behalf of NIESR, Jonathan Portes quipped that while he was delighted with the prize, he was not sure how much impact the NIESR’s critique of the government’s economic policy was having.
Speaking after the ceremony, Portes said: "I am delighted with this award, which reflects the work not just of current NIESR staff but also my predecessors, Martin Weale and Ray Barrell, who was acting director for much of this year. Throughout these difficult economic times, NIESR's contribution to the public debate has been to emphasise that economic and social policy should be based on robust, empirically-based economic research and evidence. We look forward to continuing to produce and disseminate such research in the hope that it will lead, directly or indirectly, to better policy and better outcomes."
The 2011 results in full:
Best think tank of the year
Winner: National Institute of Economic and Social Research, for scrutiny of the government's economic strategy Runner up: The King's Fund, for work on NHS reforms Special note: Policy Exchange, for comment on public sector reform
International think tank of the year
Winner: Peterson Institute for International Economics: for coverage of the financial crisis Runner up: Bruegel, for coverage of the eurozone
Publication of the year
Winner: Reform: "Every teacher matters" Special note: the Mirrlees Review (IFS), and Shale Gas (Chatham House)
Best foreign affairs think tank based in the UK
Joint award: Chatham House: for work on Yemen, and RUSI, for work on the Strategic Defence Review and China Special note: Centre for European Reform, on the euro
One to watch
Winner: Media Standards Trust, for the "Hacked Off" campaign and media scrutiny Runner up: Institute of Economic Affairs, on the spending review Special note: Resolution Foundation and IPPR
The judges were:
Bronwen Maddox Editor and CEO of Prospect since November 2010, previously chief foreign commentator of The Times. The Right Honourable Baroness Vadera, PC Adviser to international governments, companies and funds and former UK Minister. Nader Mousavizadeh CEO of Oxford Analytica, previously special assistant to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. James CrabtreeFinancial Times comment editor and former managing editor of Prospect. James Elwes Deputy editor of Prospect magazine, former editor of Financial World. Andrew Davis Associate editor of Prospect and writer on finance and investment. He was previously editor of FT Weekend.
