Reformer of the Year election
Throughout the year Reform celebrates the leading figures from politics, journalism and policy who have advanced the reforming agenda. Listed below are our top ten reformers of the year as selected by Reform based on our email bulletin The Week.
Reform now invites you to choose your Reformer of the Year from our shortlist and tell us why you support them.
The three best entries will receive an exclusive prize - an invitation to the inaugural Reformer of the Year awards dinner in late 2009.
The closing date is 31 October 2009. Good luck!
Voting for Reformer of the Year has now closed. The result will be announced shortly.
Heather Brooke
Freedom of Information campaigner
Heather played a leading role in the MPs' expenses saga, winning a High Court case against the House of Commons for the full disclosure of second homes allowances. The ruling was the driving force behind the resulting reform of the Parliamentary expense system.
Steve Bundred
Chief Executive of the Audit Commission
Steve has been a consistent voice arguing that government needs to do more for less in order to tackle the fiscal crisis. He has advocated measures such as a public sector pay freeze, job cuts and a reduction in spending across all government departments to rein in the deficit.
Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Speaking at the launch of Reform's paper Fit for purpose in his former role as Cabinet Office Minister, Liam called for reform of the Civil Service to improve delivery of policy. He said that internal appointments should become the exception rather than the rule.
Vince Cable MP
Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesman
Vince has been one of the few leading politicians to set out detailed ideas about how to reduce public spending. He has argued in favour of taking on sacred cows such as public-sector pensions, tax credits and defence.
Douglas Carswell MP
MP for Harwich and Clacton
Following the MPs' expenses scandal, Douglas has advocated a necessary programme of constitutional reform. In addition to open primaries to allow more independently-minded MPs, he has proposed greater scrutiny of budgets by select committees to hold Ministers and spending to account.
Michael Gove MP
Shadow Children, Schools and Families Secretary
Michael has pledged a number of education reforms including liberalising supply and turning more schools into academies. He has pursued an agenda of academic rigour, in particular arguing that universities should take charge of A-levels.
Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP
Home Secretary
As Health Secretary, Alan took the decision to allow "top-up payments" in the NHS. The change means that those who pay for additional care above and beyond what the NHS offers will not lose their NHS entitlements and paves the way for new ways of funding healthcare.
Angela Merkel
German Chancellor
The Chancellor faced down opponents within her own grand coalition to insist on disciplined spending and fiscal restraint, and to argue against a large and unaffordable fiscal stimulus package in the hope of avoiding recession.
Tim Montgomerie
Editor of ConservativeHome
Tim has repeatedly called for the Conservative Party to focus on spending cuts rather than tax rises to address the fiscal crisis. He has criticised the Party's ringfencing of the NHS budget, suggesting "the NHS is being allowed to carry on as if there is no age of austerity".
Steve Richards
Chief Political Commentator of The Independent
Steve has challenged the status quo on public spending, consistently advocating a sensible, honest debate on the role of the State. He has suggested that co-payments and non-universal benefits could be necessary ways to fight the deficit.