Phillip Blond

Phillip Blond is an internationally recognised political thinker and social and economic commentator. He bridges the gap between politics and practice, offering strategic consultation and policy formation to governments, businesses and organisations across the world. Prior to entering politics and public policy he was an academic, journalist and author. As a senior lecturer in theology and philosophy he taught at the Universities of Exeter and Cumbria.

He founded ResPublica in 2009 as a non party-political research organisation offering bold new multi-disciplinary ideas. It has become one of Britain’s most influential thinktanks with a worldwide reputation.

He is the author of Red Tory (Faber and Faber 2010) which sought to redefine the centre ground of British politics around the ideas of civil association, mutual ownership and social enterprise. The follow-on book to Red Tory was published in 2013. His ideas have influenced the agenda around the Big Society and civil renewal, helping to redefine British and international politics.

Papers he has authored and co-authored through ResPublica include Military Academies: Tackling Disadvantage, Improving Ethos and Changing Outcome (2012,) Asset Building for Children (2010), To Buy, To Bid, To Build: Community Rights for an Asset Owning Democracy (2010) and The Ownership State (2009). He has written extensively in the British and foreign press including The Guardian, The Independent, The Observer, The Financial Times, Prospect and the New Statesman and The International Herald Tribune.

As a renowned speaker and communicator, Phillip is a frequent broadcaster – contributing regularly on BBC, Sky and foreign media. Through both his writing and speaking Phillip argues for a new economic and social politics based around free association and group formation.