About Compass

Compass is an ideas and action based pressure group with over 50,000 members and supporters around the country.

We are committed to help build a Good Society; one in which there is far greater social, political and economic equality; where democracy is deepened at every level of the state, our workplaces and communities; where the sustainability of the planet is made an urgent priority and we recognise our interconnected fate across all nations; a society where the market is made to work as the servant of society.

We organise regular events and conferences that provide real space to discuss policy, we produce thought provoking pamphlets and we encourage debate through our website. We campaign, take positions and lead the debate on key political issues. We’re developing a coherent and strong voice for those that believe in greater equality and democracy as the means to achieve radical social change.

As the planet gets hotter and the poor get poorer we're campaigning collaboratively with progressive politicians of all parties, pressure groups, trade unions, think tanks, NGOs, academics, activists, campaigners and across civil society.

Compass wants to see a transformed Labour Party working with other parties, organisations and individuals in pursuit of this goal of the Good Society. Compass enables people to go out, take action and make real change happen.

How Compass is governed

Compass operates on the basis of democratic principles.

The organisation is run by an annually elected Management Committee and relevant officers to oversee the actions of Compass.

The Management Committee members for 2011/2012 are: Neal Lawson (Chair); Ruth Lister (Chair of the Management Committee); Willie Sullivan (Vice Chair and Scottish Rep); Mark Cooke (Treasurer); Lisa Nandy MP (Parliamentary Rep); Jon Cruddas MP; Prof Francesca Klug OBE; Cynthia Dereli; Martin O’Neill; Victor Anderson; William Cass (Compass Youth); Heather Wakefield; Simon Hebditch.

We also have an Annual General Meeting that takes place every year and all members are welcome to attend.

What is distinctive about Compass is that we are:

an umbrella grouping of the progressive left whose sum is greater than its parts.
a strategic political voice - unlike thinktanks and single issue pressure groups Compass can and must develop a politically coherent position based on the values of democracy, equality and sustainability.
an organising force - Compass recognises that ideas need to be organised for and will seek to recruit, mobilise and encourage to be active, a membership across the UK to work in the pursuit of greater democracy, equality and sustainability.

Become a member now and benefit from:

being empowered with the ideas and tools to campaign for a more democratic, equal and sustainable world.
a direct input into how Compass is run through regular membership engagement and democratic decision-making through regular membership consultations, AGM and committee elections.
priority copies of cutting-edge Compass publications.
priority invites to some of the best political events held in towns and cities all over the country.
the opportunity to get involved in a Compass local group.
our weekly to fortnightly regular eBulletin and one-off SMS updates on major activities