By stewartb
The reasons why the JRF has such a relatively high level of interest in Scotland are not known: I could speculate but without evidence this would have no merit. However, there is information in the JRF’s 2022 Annual Report that does touch on the point made earlier about it simply responding to ‘commissions’ from third parties. I don’t think this applies here for reasons that should become obvious..
See https://www.jrf.org.uk/legal/annual-report-and-accounts
On the Foundation’s financial assets, the report states: ‘The endowment, which is the value of the investment portfolio less outstanding liabilities, REDUCED FROM £498.1 MILLION TO £423.1 MILLION BETWEEN 31 DECEMBER 2021 AND 31 DECEMBER 2022. This is a 15% decrease over the year, but REMAINS 28% AHEAD OF JRF’S INTERNAL TARGET. This is the primary key performance indicator for financial performance.’ That’s a lot of ‘asset’!
The financial statement shows: (a) at the end of 2022, the charity had investments of £434.4 million compared with its annual expenditure of £31.3 million; (b) the vast majority of the investment portfolio (92%) is invested in ‘easily tradeable assets’ and are therefore ‘relatively easy to access’; and (c) the charity has no debt.
The Annual Report also records that in 2022 income from investments was £11,699,000! By (staggeringly marked) contrast, income from other sources is reported as just £120,000! In short, the JRF is a grant giver and is NOT in the market for commissioned project funding.
On its positioning towards Scotland, in a section of the Annual Report entitled ‘Plans for the future’ there is this (with my emphasis):
‘There will be a Westminster election in the next two years, with a change of government looking distinctly possible. We therefore need to FOCUS ON WESTMINSTER IN 2023 AND 2024 MORE THAN WE NORMALLY WOULD, as there is a critical opportunity to shape elements of the national policy debate. We need to produce propositional insight and policy work in our areas of focus and engage closely with political parties.
It goes on: ‘Alongside this, through our Scotland team, we will keep a DELIBERATELY TAILORED FOCUS ON THE MOST POLITICALLY CHARGED ELEMENTS IN HOLYROOD.’ Only on the ‘most politically charged’? Why expressed in this rather odd way: why not just a focus on the ‘most relevant elements’ to the JRF’s interests?
Is this an indication, at least by implication, that the JRF’s norm is ‘tailored focus on Scotland’ but NOT a similarly ‘tailored focus’ on Westminster, not on England, not on NI, not on Wales? And if so, why just Scotland? Is there more ‘politically charged’ stuff here and it’s that which attracts the JRF?
And why Scotland and not ‘politically charged elements’ in Westminster and England, especially given that so much of the power to eliminate poverty lies in Westminster, the source of government with unlimited levers and unlimited agency over what is required for poverty elimination in England and which would, upon success, have major spillover benefits in the nations with only limited, devolved powers?
I started out mildly curious about the JRF’s relatively high level of interest in Scotland. Remarks in the 2022 Annual Report have simply heightened my curiosity!
(The organisation that provided funds to Alistair Carmichael MP was the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, a separate organisation from the JRF.)
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Bribery and money gifting comes to mind
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“”The organisation that provided funds to Alistair Carmichael MP was the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, a separate organisation from the JRF.)””
I wonder , how separate .
And what exactly are they trying to “reform”
And what good is Carmichael to them
What did they pay him for
I think there is a simple answer
They are all in it together
Part of Englands propaganda war on Scotland
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Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, so, what do we have in the 10 directors; four Lib Dems (we can be sure of),
One a councillor
One an ex Lib Dem MP
One a past Lib Dem adviser and LD parliamentary candidate
One Lib Dem Baroness.
Another of the directors takes no discomfort in being praised for the success in bringing better democracy to Scotland through the Single Transferable Vote.
This group, the JRRT, stands for and promotes, Morals in public office, the best for democracy and speaking truth to power.
They then grant money to Alistair “I was less than fully truthful” to an official inquiry Carmichael. Did they ask for their money back?
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Utterly intriguing. At face value it makes no sense. One would think that focussing on the largest country and population in the UK (and the least protected) would be central to its work. Scotland should be a comparative data set within the UK at best.
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A UK -wide organisation based in England has no Uk supporting agenda?
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You might be interested in this article stewartb
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-27772725
“One in seven working-age adults and children could still be living in poverty by the mid-2020s, according to a new study.
The data, from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, looked at the challenge Scotland would face even with a higher employment rate than now.
It said that even with high employment, lower pay and less working hours could still see people in poverty.
However, The UK government said it was working to end child poverty by 2020.”
Look at the date.. 😉
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Thanks for the link to the BBC article from 2014 – what a ‘fine effort’ at a hatched job. In amongst all the negativity, the scares regarding Scotland’s prospects, I note the BBC provided an opportunity for a UK government spokesperson:
‘A DWP spokeswoman said: “The UK government is committed to our goal of ending child poverty by 2020.”
According to the JRF, the child poverty rate in the UK in 2013/14 was 27% and in its latest figures, for 2020/21 is was 27%!
Where is BBC investigative journalism when it’s needed? Too busy gaslighting Scotland!
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I tell you,, the BBC and others could learn a lot from this blog and the regular contributors. Checking and questioning data and research, digging a bit deeper to see where info is coming from you all and I for one am very grateful for the time and effort you all take
For some reason I can’t seem to log in but just get offered reply options as an anonymous contributor so will sign off with my user name brobb
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