April Newsletter: We're live! Progress, postcards, and new possibilities

Hello, friends of British progress,

And welcome to the very first edition of our monthly newsletter. Think of this as your regular postcard from the front lines of British progress – an update on our work, a roundup of good news, and a catalogue of upcoming events where you can connect with us. We'll also regularly share what's inspired us through the Centre for British Progress Bookshelf. Who are we? Get to know our team, fellows, and our advisors here.

💫What we’ve been up to

We launched last week with our founding essay, Rediscovering British Progress. You might have heard whispers that it all begins with a postcard from 1870… But if you haven't yet read the full essay, pour yourself a large coffee, settle in, and find it here.

If you’re after something more espresso-sized, our co-founders published a short, sharp summary in The New Statesman and talked all things progress with James O’Malley on his podcast, while Julia provided a punchy overview for CapX. Our launch also got a nod from the Daily Express, who wrote:

“the Centre for British Progress isn’t here to write more policy pamphlets for dusty bookshelves. It’s here to fight for a political reset, where the left stands unapologetically for abundance, human flourishing, and delivery that people can actually feel.”

Couldn’t have put it better ourselves!

🎟️ Upcoming events

Each month we'll be highlighting upcoming Centre for British Progress events, or events featuring our wonderful team and fellows. If you have an event you’d like included, please get in touch via contact@britishprogress.org

• See our co-founder Julia representing us at an upcoming showcase of pro-progress organisations hosted by our friends at TxP, along with fellow Jack Wiseman for Inference Magazine. Expect big ideas and bigger optimism from the emerging UK progress ideas machine.
  
  Mark your calendars for the 30th April and sign up here.

🏗️ In other news…

Huge win for UK nuclear: Our advisor John Fingleton CBE has just been appointed head of the government’s nuclear task force. Great choice, great news, great future for British energy. Check out the announcement here – and admire John’s impeccable fit.

‘Y Combinator comes to Wales’: Our friend Kanishka Narayan MP just launched a ‘Y Combinator for Wales’ to turbocharge Welsh start-ups and innovation. Read more about it over at Sifted.

The Centre for British Progress Bookshelf

Welcome to our bookshelf, where we’ll (semi)regularly share a peek at what we’re reading, listening to, and thinking about. Here’s what's caught our attention recently:

• First up is a staple piece from our very own Andrew Bennett: Sovereign Albion: Rebuilding a Spiritual Foundation for Collective Progress. An excerpt to pique your interest:
  
  “If the progress crowd — the boosters, techno-optimists, e/acc, uk/acc, anglofuturist and progress studies types — genuinely care about widening our coalition, then not only do the downstream benefits need to be widely tangible, but the spirit and aesthetics of these movements also need to inspire broader, durable support.
  
  So far, despite rallying a solid base, I think these projects are either failing spiritually or aesthetically. Too often they reduce what matters to pure materialism, offering little higher purpose, while the metallic textures of these futures are often coarse and soulless. Run your finger over the contours and you get brushed steel, dimpled concrete and muted glass, not squishy moss or brittle bark. There is little enchantment, minimal poetry.”
  
  Intrigued? Keep an eye on this substack for more pieces like this.
  

  

  William Turner’s “Stonehenge - Twilight”, about 1840

• "The Parrot is Dead" - what does an ex-parrot have to do with AI? To answer this important question, read this piece by Centre for British Progress fellow Jack Wiseman in Inference Magazine.

• From David’s reading list, an uplifting article from the FT: Symbol of renewal, antidote to bleak news — spring is just a beginning, reflecting on the anticipation and inspiration of spring, and opportunities for renewal through our connection to nature.

  

  Vincent van Gogh's "Almond Blossom", 1890

• What does happen when a liberal thinker shifts his attention from polarisation to economic abundance? Listen to Abundance guru Ezra Klein on Tyler Cowen’s podcast.

• Julia has discovered a great album of vibrant, optimistic Lebanese music from the 70s. She also just finished reading Middlemarch, and wants you to know that it really is as good as everyone says!

• And finally, for hours of quiet enjoyment tracing the paths of tubes around London, explore this new live underground map.

And finally, thank you for all your support so far!

The launch of the Centre for British Progress has been energising, but it’s just the beginning. We’re grateful to have you with us as we build something meaningful.

Warmly,
The Centre for British Progress Team