At Policy Brief we bring insight and commentary from leading experts to policy makers and opinion formers. We challenge existing views and inform public debate and policy makers with the aim of contributing to improved policy and investment decisions that benefit the whole of society.
We are focused geographically on public policy in the UK, including a particular focus on its northern regions, and the EU. At the global level, we are concerned with promoting conflict resolution, stability, and development.
At a time of extraordinary challenge, independent and expert policy analysis and evidence-based solutions have never been more needed. Policy Brief is designed to help meet that challenge.
Thank you for reading.
Editor, Policy Brief
From 1992-2012 Roderick Crawford directed Parliamentary Brief with great style and effect. Policy Brief has the capacity to illuminate the issues in British politics in a decisive way
Policy Brief offers reliable and carefully researched policy analysis in a marketplace dominated by narrow Westminster interests. In Roderick Crawford clients work with the former editor of Parliamentary Brief and benefit from his expertise on economic policy, social policy, the North, and UK-EU relations.
When I was trying to draw attention to the potential ill-effects of children’s changing lifestyles on their physical and mental health, it was difficult to interest either press or politicians. Roderick Crawford saw the merit in my work and not only gave me a platform but published a series of articles on childhood issues.
We are an independent think tank and commentary addressing the challenges of the new era in UK, European and global affairs.
With the challenges facing Government increasing and resources of all kinds diminishing, developing well-informed policy has become even more important.
Policy Brief provides a platform for experts in their field to engage with policy makers to better equip them as they seek to address the challenges of Government at every level and in every region; it is also here to challenge current policy where it is failing to deliver the best outcomes.
For opinion formers and decision makers, Policy Brief provides a much-needed resource of expert analysis.
Whilst we are here to inform, our focus is also on making a direct impact on policy, practice, and investment. Many of our briefings are written for and targeted to those with responsibility for decision making and their advisers, in whatever sector that might be. We achieve this through a partnership between Policy Brief’s editor, editorial advisers, and our writers to create robust policy briefs. It is a collective effort.
Where we set out to make a concerted effort to change policy, we will highlight this as a ‘campaign’. Campaigns reflect values and policy outcomes that Policy Brief champions and where we have a body of experts with a commitment to change policy. Our core policy foci and our current campaigns are highlighted on our home page.
Roderick founded and edited Parliamentary Brief (1992-2012) and European Brief (1993-1996) covering both international affairs as well as a broad range of public policy areas and economic, social and political issues. The central aim was to connect policy experts with policymakers — to win support for solutions to hard-to-solve problems and encourage an environment where these solutions commanded both political and civil service support.
After editing Parliamentary Brief for twenty years, Roderick subsequently developed a counter-sectarian conflict concept ‘If you are safe, I am safe’ for Iraq. He promoted it to civil society in Iraq, and then to South Sudan and Yemen.
He returned to work on a solution to the Northern Ireland Protocol in 2018, later writing two reports for Policy Exchange — The Northern Ireland Protocol: The Origins of the Current Crisis (2021) & The Northern Ireland Protocol: The Clash of Two Treaties (2023) that broadly summarised his analysis and policy recommendations. His work, with others, helped shape Government negotiating strategy and policy, leading to the Windsor Framework in 2023 and to the restoration of the Northern Ireland institutions in 2024. In 2025 he launched Policy Brief.
“Over ten years ago I ceased editing and publishing Parliamentary Brief. Its quality and depth of analysis on policy have not been matched, and its absence is marked. It is time to fill that gap. The flexibility of online publications provides the possibility of creating a policy resource that can have far greater impact over time than print media, and the combination of online publishing and think tank offers the opportunity to better engage policy advisers and decision makers and to help drive change than ever before.”
Policy Brief does not stop with written Briefs. We push Briefs out to the key advisers and decision makers and make sure that the ideas and analysis they contain find their mark with the right people — whoever they are, wherever they are.
We support good policy outcomes, not political parties. Whoever is in power, in whatever part of the UK, they need ideas and independent policy analysis. And whoever is in opposition needs to hold them to account. Whichever side of the aisle you are on, we have something to offer to you: deeply informed analysis and fresh ideas.
As editor, Roderick Crawford has over 30 years of experience — from founding and editing Parliamentary Brief in 1992 to informing UK-EU negotiations during Brexit. Key to success has and will continue to be partnerships between editor and writers and advisers who are committed to making a difference to policy and public debate.
Roderick Crawford is Founder of Policy Brief and Principal at Roderick Crawford Consultancy, where he advises leaders on strategy, governance, and market delivery.
