“It’s difficult to think of anyone other than Policy Exchange who has had such an impact on education in this country – apart from E.D. Hirsch,” said Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Education, in a vote of thanks after Professor Hirsch’s keynote speech, which argued for “a definite knowledge-based curriculum” for all children.

The following day, Policy Exchange hosted Professor Jonathan Haidt, author of The Coddling of the American Mind, who explained the causes of the illiberal student culture that has swept US and UK campuses since 2014. “Every trend, every strange new thing that’s happening on campuses in the United States is happening here in the UK too,” he said.

Professor Haidt appeared alongside expert speakers including Dr Joanna Williams, Policy Exchange’s Head of Education, and Professor Eric Kaufmann, author of Whiteshift. Watch the event.

Our new report, Building for the Baby Boomers, argues a new generation of homes purpose built for ageing baby boomers is needed to increase their choice in the housing market. This would allow more baby boomers to move into homes fit for their retirement, releasing family homes onto local housing markets; and give more baby boomers the chance to access housing wealth they have stored up in spare bedrooms. The report was featured in The Sunday Telegraph and was also the subject of a leader article in The Daily Telegraph

Britain can become an “invisible chain that links the world’s democracies” after Brexit, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP said in his first UK keynote address as Foreign Secretary, at Policy Exchange. Noting that the rise of China will mean that for the first time the world’s largest economy will not be a democracy, he warned against a return to a principle of ‘might is right’ and announced an international conference on media freedom to be hosted by the UK next year. Watch the full speech here.

Speaking at Policy Exchange’s annual reception at Conservative Party Conference, the Home Secretary said: “If I think about the policies regarding all the different roles I’ve had in Government – in every different role I’ve had there’s always been something from Policy Exchange that has helped us shape policy and have a real impact.

“Even now for me the work you are doing on counter-extremism, the work that’s been done on immigration, especially post-Windrush on what lessons we can learn, but also more broadly in politics the work you’ve done on being more civil in politics – you’re raising the tone of politics which I think is hugely important.” Watch the video of that event and more here.

At the prestigious annual Prospect Think Tank of the Year Awards, Policy Exchange has won best UK think tank in the Energy and Environment category. The unit’s research has ranged from the role of future nuclear modular reactors to cleaning up vehicle emissions in Britain’s cities. The judges recognised that our work paid “particular attention to the economic drivers behind environmental policy”. The same week as winning this award, the Unit published a major new report setting how the UK can reduce carbon emissions and make UK heavy industry more competitive through an economy-wide carbon tax. The work and convening power of Policy Exchange’s Britain in the World unit was also recognised at the awards, with the visit by US Defense Secretary James Mattis thought particularly notable.