Funding the Mile End Group political forum which attracts high-profile speakers to London’s East End from government, business and journalism has now passed �500,000.
The group for postgraduates at Queen Mary University of London has been sponsored by the Hewlett Packard technology corporation since it was set up in 2004.
Dr Jon Davis of Queen Mary’s School of History describes the ‘half million’ benchmark as “something unique for a UK humanities unit and a world-renowned blue chip IT firm.”
Grants also support the Mile End Group’s programme covering tuition fees for four students a year as well as bursaries toward student living costs.
Speakers have included former Prime Minister John Major, Science Minister David Willetts, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, civil servant Sir Gus O’Donnell and last month former Downing Street spin doctor Alastair Campbell.
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