Interview: Beyond Blairism
Cathy Wallace
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Carey Oppenheim, co-director, Institute for Public Policy Research.
For child poverty campaigners the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), the news that Carey Oppenheim has been appointed co-director of leading think-tank, alongside former child poverty tsar Lisa Harker, must have been akin to winning the lottery.
Oppenheim has a distinguished history having worked previously at IPPR, for the government and within Number 10 on the issue of child poverty, families and welfare. More recently she has headed the London Child Poverty Commission, a role she will continue alongside her work at IPPR.
But while the children's sector may greet Oppenheim and Harker's appointment with glee, those not too enamoured with New Labour may have concerns over Blair's former advisers being appointed to head upwhat was once branded his favourite think-tank.
Oppenheim is confident the IPPR commands cross-party influence. "We will be pleased to work closely withGordon Brown's administration, as well as with other political parties where we share an understanding, or where they are generating policy ideas that IPPR would liketo explore."
The think-tank has worked with the Liberal Democrats on issues surrounding migration and with the Conservatives on their recent quality of life report.
"Ideas are converging around the centre left," Oppenheim says. "We wouldn't have thought, 10 years ago, that we'd have a Conservative Party signed up to the same levels of public spending as a Labour government.
"The Conservatives and the Lib Dems have also signed up to tackle child poverty, but we will talk to them about how they will go about it."
This is the first time the role of director of a major think-tank has been divided between two people and Oppenheim says the impetus came from her and Harker.
"We have been working together on and off for 10 years, both inside and outside government," Oppenheim says. "We wanted to job share so we made a joint application. It was our choice to work together.
"We think two heads coming together in one role is a real asset, bringing different skills, and we can challenge and support each other. This isn't just about what suits Lisa and I, it's about what we can bring to the role together."
"One of the challenges is to not split the organisation and have a Lisa half and a Carey half," Oppenheim says.
While the IPPR works on a broad range of social issues, including climate change, health, welfare and migration, child poverty is still likely to stay in the forefront under the new directorship.
"We want to still pursue issues in relation to child poverty and make it clear that we're going to need more measures in relation to tax credits, benefits and employment initiatives," Oppenheim says. "There are also long-term issues around education and skills that need to be addressed if we're going to reach the 2020 target of eradicating child poverty."
Aside from child poverty, the IPPR will, over the coming months, focus on helping to fight obesity by encouraging healthy behaviour in the young. It is also examining issues faced by young carers and older children caring for elderly relatives, who are often treated as a separate group. In addition, the organisation is looking into educating the young in taking steps to combat climate change. Indeed, it isn't all just about children's services. "We're working on other areas of public services, for example policing.
"We're not here to be used by different political parties. We have 20 years of good-quality research and partnerships with a range of organisations. We are ideally placed to be the centre for debate and to generate our own research. That's the role we want to play."
BACKGROUND KEY ADVISER TO GOVERNMENT
- Oppenheim was a senior policy adviser to Tony Blair, working on welfare and employment, poverty, children and equality
- She played a key role in developing the Child Trust Fund and the government's agenda on flexible working and maternity pay
- She is currently chair of the London Child Poverty Commission and will continue to work with the Department for Children, Schools and Families on increasing the take-up of childcare among black and minority ethnic communities
- www.ippr.org.uk.