British-American Project
The British-American Project (BAP) is a transatlantic fellowship of more than 1,200 leaders and opinion formers from a broad spectrum of occupations, backgrounds and political views. BAP operates on a not-for-profit basis, funded through its membership and support from corporate partners. It was originally named the British-American Project for the Successor Generation.[1]
Goals
Established in 1985, BAP was created to help maintain and enrich the long-standing relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States. The Project was the brainchild of Nick Butler, an economist at BP, who at that time was also a prospective Labour Party parliamentary candidate. Along with others in both countries who viewed the special relationship favorably, he had become concerned about a growing tide of anti-American sentiment among his generation in the UK. Butler's response was to propose a series of conferences, developing relationships between the participants and broadening understanding.[2]
A US BAP organiser describes the BAP network as committed to "grooming leaders" while promoting "the leading global role that [the US and Britain] continue to play".[3]
Previous conferences
- 2022: Twin Cities, Minnesota - A New Reckoning
- 2021: Glasgow, Scotland - Flourish Together
- 2020: Virtual - Choose Hope
- 2019: Cardiff, Wales - Find Your Epic
- 2018: Seattle, Washington - Technology at the Speed of Change
- 2017: Manchester, England - Living Well in the 21st Century
- 2016: Houston, Texas - No Limits
- 2015: Dublin/Belfast - Insiders and Outsiders
- 2014: Las Vegas, Nevada - Money: Winners & Losers
- 2013: Cambridge, England - Innovation: From Cradle to Grave
- 2012: New Orleans, Louisiana - Creative Destruction
- 2011: London, England - Choice: Tyranny or Liberation?
- 2010: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Freedoms: Old and New
- 2009: Edinburgh, Scotland - From Abundance to Scarcity: Sustainability and Development in the 21st Century
Organisation
The British-American Project is affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). BAP is a non-profit, funded by its members and donations from corporate partners.[4] While acknowledging the connections made among journalists and the political class in the two countries, a 1999 article in The Observer noted critics saying it was another example of too much US influence in Britain.[4]
Notable members
Politicians
Stephen Dorrell[2]- Alan Sked, founder of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)[2][5]
- David Miliband[3]
- The Baron Mandelson[3]
- The Baron Robertson of Port Ellen[3]
- The Baroness Symons[3]
- Jonathan Powell (Tony Blair's chief of staff)[3]
- The Baroness Scotland[3]
- Douglas Alexander[3]
- Geoff Mulgan[3]
- Matthew Taylor[3]
- David Willetts[2]
- Rushanara Ali (2004)[6][7]
Diana Negroponte, the wife of John Negroponte[3]
Journalists
- Jeremy Paxman, BBC[3]
- Evan Davis, BBC[3]
- James Naughtie, BBC[3]
- Jane Hill, BBC[8]
- Trevor Phillips, BBC[9]
- Isabel Hilton, The Independent, The Guardian, BBC[9]
- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, The Independent, The London Evening Standard[3][6]
- Charles Moore, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph, The Spectator[2]
- Rowan Pelling, The Daily Telegraph[10]
- Hugh Raven, The Sunday Telegraph[9]
- Christopher Cragg, The Financial Times[9]
- Caroline St John-Brooks, The Times Educational Supplement, The Sunday Times[9]
- George Brock, The Times[9]
- Michael Elliott, The Economist[9]
- Daniel Franklin, The Economist[9]
- Diane Coyle, The Independent[9]
- Frederick Kempe, The Wall Street Journal[9]
- Daniel Drezner, The Wall Street Journal, The New Republic, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The New York Times, Slate, Tech Central Station, among others[11]
- Joel Stein, LA Times[12]
Arts and media
- Margaret Hill, BBC current affairs producer[9]
Other
- Shami Chakrabarti, Former director, Liberty[13]
- Caroline, Lady Dalmeny, Royal United Services Institute[14]
- Christian May, Institute of Directors[15]
References
- "History of the Project". British-American Project. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- Beckett, Andy (6 November 2004). "Friends in high places". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- Pilger, John (13 December 2007). "Tainted hands across the water". New Statesman. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
- Nick Cohen - Without Prejudice: "Cry freedom... and order a Big Mac - BAP conference", The Observer, 31 October 1999, hosted at Bilderberg website, accessed 17 June 2013.
- "British American Project - SourceWatch". www.sourcewatch.org.
- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown (17 March 2008). "This unhealthy strain of left-wing McCarthyism". The Independent. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
- "Wannabe MP is wary of links with USA". East London Advertiser. 28 March 2008.
- "Welcome to the British-American Project". archive.is. 16 March 2015. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015.
- "Transatlantic Elite - BAP - British American Project for the successor generation - Peter Mandelson". www.bilderberg.org.
- Rowan Pelling (13 Nov 2007). "Subversive politics and honey traps never pall". The Telegraph.
- Daniel Drezner (November 12, 2003). "I'm off to join another secret cabal".
- Joel Stein (November 30, 2007). "Changing the world a drink at a time". Los Angeles Times.
- "The Governors". Ditchley Foundation. Archived from the original on 26 September 2006.
- Royal United Services Institute Fellows and Associates Archived March 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
- Institute of Directors Archived August 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
External links
- British-American Project (official website)
- Transatlantic Elite - British American Project for the successor generation collection of articles from various publications