## Notes from 20 May 2025 [[2025-05-19|← Previous note]] ┃ [[2025-05-21|Next note →]] On May 17, the UK think tank formerly known as Reform officially adopted the new name [[Re:State Think Tank]], completing a rebranding process. The change was prompted by the growing link between the name "Reform" and the political party formerly known as the Brexit Party, which now represents the far-right in the UK. To distance itself from that connotation and reaffirm its mission, the think tank relaunched under a new identity. As part of the rebranding, Re:State published a remarkable collection of short essays by a group of politicians, thought leaders, and public figures from across the political spectrum. The essays advocate for radical reform of the British state. Contributors include former Conservative cabinet minister Michael Gove; [[Chris Curtis]], MP and co-chair of the [Labour Growth Group](https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk/), who is an interesting figure on the British left adapting [[Abundance Agenda - Progress Studies|abundance]]-oriented ideas to the Labour context; Francis Maude, author of the [[Public Sector Reform in the UK#The Maude Review (2023)|Maude Review]]; Rachel Wolf, founding partner at [Public First](https://www.publicfirst.co.uk/) and founder of the [New Schools Network](https://www.newschoolsnetwork.org/); Mike Bracken, founder of [[Public Digital]] and the [[UK Government Digital Service (GDS)]]; Claire Ainsley is the former executive director of policy for opposition leader Keir Starmer and is now the lead of the [Project on Center-left Renewal](https://www.progressivepolicy.org/project/project-on-center-left-renewal/) at the progressive policy institute. This initiative focuses on exchanging ideas, strategies, and tactics to strengthen center-left parties worldwide, building on work dating back to the "third way" dialogues of the 1990s and 2000s between the US democratic party and the UK labour party. This is one of the most compelling collections in recent years, bringing together top minds in UK state reform. The essays are short and worth reading.