If proof were needed of the weakness of the Labour party, one would need to look no further than the financial muscle of the centre-right think-tanks, growing in expectation of a Tory government. More striking than comparisons of left and right, however, is how weak UK think-tanks are in comparison with their foreign counterparts, notably in the US. Think-tanks there are not the right model for the UK's policy wonks to emulate, but they can do better.

UK politically active think-tanks tend to be staffed by 20-something aspirant MPs and run on shoestring budgets. But in the US, the top think-tanks are well-funded and well-staffed universities without students. There are good reasons for this. Significant staff turnover accompanies every change in US administration. Big think-tanks, such as the Brookings Institution, are filled with experienced policymakers between government jobs. US culture is also more conducive both to lobbying and to philanthropy than the UK. These factors mean it is unimaginable UK think-tanks would ever be able to match their Washington counterparts.