Caroline Lucas and Jon Yeung announced as new Compass co-chairs!

Subject to a formal vote by Compass members and from the current Compass board at their next meeting in March, we are delighted to announce that former MP and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, as well as Jon Yeung have agreed to join us as our new co-chairs. You can read Caroline’s message to our supporters below as well as some kind words from outgoing co-chair Shelagh Wright. We are so grateful to Shelagh and Barry Knight for all their hard work and dedication to Compass. They are leaving Compass in a much better position and we wish them all the best.

Caroline’s message to Compass supporters

This is a moment of both huge opportunity and major threat. You don’t need me to tell you about how the crisis of economy, climate and nature might come together to create a political crisis in which Reform could be our next government. And we know what that threat means for our democracy and our civil liberties.

For our living standards. For the acceleration of the climate and nature emergencies – all that chaos that that brings. For the proximity to Donald Trump and other authoritarians. For anyone who is not part of this authoritarian, populist tribe – and how they will feel every minute of every day hearing that they don’t belong in our country.

We must do everything in our power to defeat not just Reform but the causes of Reform. That’s why I’m delighted to be able to tell you that I’m joining the Compass Board as one of its two new co-Chairs.

I’ll be working with Jon Yeung, the other co-Chair, the rest of the Compass board, the brilliant staff team and all of our partners and alliances to keep our work focused on how to change our democratic structures, political structures and systems so that we can change society.

Jon will focus on building the organisation and helping the team turn strategy into effective action. My focus will be more external, being another voice for Compass and helping build relationships with other key figures in the progressive world.

“I’m delighted to be taking on the co-chair role on the Compass Board at this profoundly important time for the UK. In the campaign for a Good Society, Compass occupies a unique place through the support and activism of its members, insightful thought leadership and alliance building with other progressive organisations. I’m really excited to be working with the members, the team and others to build on what’s been achieved already for a better and more hopeful future.”

Jon Yeung, new co-Chair

To learn more about Jon, you can see his board election statement here.

 

I’d like to thank Shelagh Wright and Barry Knight for the sterling work they’ve done as the outgoing Co-Chairs and for leaving Compass in such a good position. Now we need to build from here.

“While it’s been a pleasure and a privilege to co-chair Compass over the last few years, I am so happy that Caroline and Jon will be taking on the role at this pivotal time. Caroline is the embodiment of the values and politics that Compass campaigns for. Her integrity and instinct for what it takes to make a good society, together with Jon’s extraordinary organisational developments skills, will be of such value to us all in the Compass family – our brilliant staff, our committed board that I’ll continue to be part of, and of course, our amazing members without whom none of this is possible.”

Shelagh Wright – outgoing co-Chair

 

I’ve long worked with Compass to build that better politics for a better world. I’ve always admired the tenacity, ambition and creativity of the organisation. It’s needed now more than ever.

In our now-fragmented party-political system, we need an organisation that lives and breathes the politics of pluralism. One that knows that we need the lodestar of the Good Society and works tirelessly to build the ideas in the organisation to take us on that journey to a better world.

Once upon a time, I couldn’t have even been a member of Compass – let alone co-Chair – because I’m a Green.

But back in 2011 when it was just for Labour members, Compass and our members had the foresight to see this fragmented political world coming down the track. And with a bit of encouragement from me and others, they opened out the membership to people from all progressive parties and none. I’m so glad they did.

These are challenging but exciting times for our politics. We’ve never needed a Compass more than now.

I’m so glad to be part of the team and look forward to working with you to ensure Compass has the influence and impact our politics and country needs.

Yours in hope,

Caroline