Writer, broadcaster and political strategist
Ed Rennie is a Catholic broadcaster, writer, political analyst and strategist. He is a leading advocate for both Blue Labour and Red Conservative approaches. Ed has worked for two MPs and was a local Councillor for Perivale. He led the virtue programme at the think tank ResPublica and later worked for John Mills helping to found Labour Future and has written for Labour Leave.
He was a support line volunteer for the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), and is a founding member of Catholic Voices.
Follow Ed on Twitter: @edrennie77
Teacher of English and Theory of Knowledge (TOK); Coordinator at Tonbridge Grammar School
After graduating from The University of St Andrews, Ed was the London Coordinator of Debating Matters and was responsible for the expansion of the competition in the capital and overseeing the development of the alumni programme. In this position, Ed organised public debates and travelled to India to assist with the DM competition there.
Subsequently, Ed worked for a brief time in local government in Australia before returning to the UK to train as a teacher. He has worked across schools in the UK and China and has been responsible for developing debating teams across the world.
Ed now teaches English and TOK in Kent. He is a senior examiner for Theory of Knowledge, which has involved advising on course development.
Communications specialist; PR lecturer and co-author of Radical Blake
Dr Shirley Dent is works in communications, specialising in political and policy-led PR.
Shirley has written and commented widely on communications, arts and literature, including a blog at Guardian Arts Unlimited, and reviewing for the Times Literary Supplement. She researched the editorial and bibliographic history of William Blake’s works for her PhD, co-authoring a book on the subject with Jason Whittaker, Radical Blake.
She continues to contribute academic essays to scholarly collections, including essays on copyright and censorship. Shirley also contributes to tlfw.co.uk, a website and network for women childfree by circumstance or choice.
chief of staff, MCC Brussels; associate fellow, Academy of Ideas
Tony is chief of staff at MCC Brussels, a think tank that has opened up debate and discussion in the ‘Brussels bubble’ to new perspectives and ideas on a wide range of important issues confronting Europe. Tony’s work in Brussels is informed by his extensive experience of promoting debate and free speech whilst working at the Academy of Ideas from its inception to early 2014.
Prior to joining MCC Brussels, Tony was a teacher and manager in the UK Further Education sector in Kent. As curriculum manager for mathematics at MidKent College until March 2023, he led a team of 11 maths tutors to support students that struggled with the subject; having previously taught maths and economics in two Kent grammar schools. Tony is a believer in an academically rigorous approach to education that takes the capabilities of young people seriously.
Prior to teaching Tony was the director of the Academy of Ideas’ Debating Matters competition, overseeing its growth into a UK competition for nearly 300 schools and its expansion to India through a partnership with the British Council. Tony is an associate fellow of the Academy of Ideas and holds a degree in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Oxford.
Follow Tony on X/Twitter: @tonygilland
Follow DMGBIN on Twitter @dmgbin
broadcast journalist at Unherd
Oli Foster is a broadcast journalist having worked most recently at UnHerd – overseeing the guest production for the video and audio output. Prior to this he worked at Sky News where his main role was to oversee guest production for the Sunrise Paper Review, the Press Preview, The View on All Out Politics, The AOP Podcast and the digital show Divided.
He read American Studies at King’s College London then went on to complete an MA in Broadcast Journalism at City University.
Oli is a Debating Matters Angel
Follow Oli on Twitter @NotBBCSportsGuy.
policy and strategy consultant, and writer
Dave Clements is a consultant working in local government with over two decades of experience developing and leading on policy and strategy, amongst other things – predominantly for children’s and adult’s services, and across public and voluntary sector partnerships.
He has been a member of the Battle of Ideas organising committee since 2006, and co-founded the Academy of Ideas Social Policy Forum in 2008. When he’s not consulting or bringing up three children with his wife in North London, Dave writes widely – and contributes to public discussions – on contemporary policy culture.
He has written for publications including The Guardian, Huffington Post, The MJ and Spiked; was a contributing co-editor of The Future of Community (Pluto, 2008) and was also a contributor to The Future of the Welfare State (Axess, 2017).
Follow Dave on Twitter @daveclements_
writer, broadcaster and author
Dr. Tiffany Jenkins is a writer, cultural historian, and broadcaster. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book Keeping Their Marbles: How the Treasures of the Past Ended up in Museums and Why They Should Keep Them. She has presented several BBC Radio 4 series, including The History of Secrecy and Contracts of Silence on NDAs. Her upcoming book, Strangers and Intimates: The Rise and Fall of Private Life, will be published by Picador in May 2025.
She has been an Honorary Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, and a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics. She is also the author of Contesting Human Remains in Museum Collections: The Crisis of Cultural Authority,and editor of Political Culture: Soft Interventions and Nation Building.
Follow Tiffany on X @tiffanyjenkins or visit her website: https://tiffanyjenkinsinfo.com/
Political Editor, Sunday Mirror & Sunday People
Nigel is Fleet Street’s longest serving political editor and has known every prime minister since Margaret Thatcher. He was nominated for Political Journalist of the Year in the 2017 British Press Awards and he frequently appears on BBC News and Sky News to discuss politics. Many, many years ago he was runner-up in the National Schools Debating Competition.
Follow Nigel on Twitter @NigelNelson
mechanical and electrical engineer
Rick Moore owns and runs his own mechanical and electrical business, InControl, which specialises in assistive technology and smart home solutions. He is also active in politics, currently holding the role of Deputy Chair Political at the Blackburn Conservative Association.
Rick trained and qualified as an electronic engineer, expanding and developing those skills as he developed his business. InControl currently works for a range of clients, some who choose technology as a lifestyle choice, others who have debilitating injuries and disabilities and so rely on technology to enable them to complete day-to-day tasks.
Rick stood as a parliamentary candidate for The Brexit Party in 2019 in his home town of Blackburn, before joining the Conservative Party to work with them on local issues. He is a staunch advocate of democracy and freedom of speech, and fully believes that reasoned and respectful debate is essential to allow both to flourish.
Follow Rick on Twitter @RickMoore1980
associate fellow, Academy of Ideas
Joel is a regular convener and chair of debates at Europe’s premier ideas festival, the Battle of Ideas, covering a range of issues across civic life, politics and international affairs. He has experience in communications and public affairs in government and the charities sector and the Royal Town Planning Institute. Joel is a proud alumnus of Debating Matters, the UK’s toughest schools debating competition.
Follow Joel on X/Twitter: @J0ELcohen
