Prospect magazine is delighted to announce that Tom Clark has been appointed as Editor (he will start his new role in August). Tom has been at the Guardian newspaper for a decade, where he currently chairs the editorial board and writes mostly on politics, having had previous spells writing daily editorials on social affairs and then economics. He also presents a weekly podcast, and runs the Guardian’s opinion polling. Over his time with the paper, Tom has developed the Guardian’s thinking, and sharpened its voice, on diverse subjects ranging from human rights to the welfare state and constitutional reform. Tom is also a Visiting Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford and a respected author (1). Before entering journalism, he worked in a number of roles including as an economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Prospect was recently acquired by a not-for-profit entity within the Resolution Group (2), founded by Prospect’s former majority shareholder Clive Cowdery. This change in ownership, and new editorial appointment, occur as Prospect celebrates 21 years of high-quality journalism. The magazine is the home of intelligent debate about the key questions facing governments and societies today, and has a reputation for non-partisan and rigorous free thinking on both the domestic and the international agenda. Clive Cowdery, Chair of Prospect, said: “Tom has a proven track record that combines journalistic flair with an unusual depth of thinking and grasp of the big ideas that are shaping our times. He’s a great match for Prospect and I’m absolutely delighted that he will be leading the magazine in this exciting new phase of its development.” Tom Clark said: “I’m thrilled to be taking charge of a magazine which distils the biggest ideas into the finest writing, right across the breadth of the intellectual landscape. With horizons in party politics pitifully short, there is a real yearning for unflinching analysis of the deep forces shaping this young century, something Prospect is perfectly-placed to provide.” Notes to the Editor
- Tom Clark is the author of Hard Times: Inequality, Recession, Aftermath (Yale University Press, with Anthony Heath) and The Age of Obama: The changing place of minorities in British and American Society (Manchester University Press, with Robert D Putnam and Ed Fieldhouse). He has also edited Great Speeches of the 20th Century (Preface Publishing).
- The Resolution Group has extensive public interest activities which operate on a non-profit basis, alongside its commercial role as an investor in the insurance sector. The Group’s particular interest is addressing the long-term challenges facing Britain, often viewed as intractable due to the short-term nature of the electoral cycle. It adopts a non-partisan, evidence-based and solution-oriented approach, as reflected in the work of the Resolution Foundation, the award winning economic and social research organisation. Through the Resolution Trust, the Group also supports the work of academics and other partners, to promote shared economic growth and political reforms that distribute power more widely across society. The Resolution Group’s support for Prospect reflects these interests, given the magazine’s own non-partisan stance and commitment to addressing the long-term issues facing the nation. Prospect will continue to operate with this mission and will benefit from the increased investment and support of the wider Group.
