The Tamworth Prize is Bright Blue’s annual essay competition for young people aged 25 and under. It is a chance for young people to make their case for defending and improving liberal society in Britain today. We welcome submissions from people of all backgrounds!
The Prize is named after the Tamworth Manifesto which Sir Robert Peel published in 1834. The Tamworth Manifesto set out what the Conservative Party would stand for in a changing Britain following the passing of the Great Reform Act two years earlier. You can read more about The Tamworth Manifesto in Chapter One of our book, The Modernisers’ Manifesto.
This year’s essay question is: ‘How can Britain help more young people into work?’
Word count: 900—1000 words.
Entries for 2026 are open until Wednesday 30th September 2026.
Winners of the Tamworth Prize will: receive a £250 cash prize; feature in Bright Blue’s high-profile Centre Write magazine; be entitled to a week of work experience with the Bright Blue team in London; and get to have tea-for-two with a member of Bright Blue’s Advisory Council.
If you have any questions, or would like to submit an entry, email Cyril Davydenko, Researcher at Bright Blue, on cyril@brightblue.org.uk.
Past Tamworth Prize winners
2015 winner Oliver Shore, whose essay featured in July 2015’s Centre Write magazine
2016 winner Joe Slater, whose essay featured in December 2016’s Centre Write magazine
2017 winner David Verghese, whose essay featured in April 2018’s Centre Write magazine
2018 winner James Smith, whose essay featured in October 2018’s Centre Write magazine
2019 winner Anya Nash, whose essay featured in July 2019’s Centre Write magazine
2020 winner Ollie Tinker, whose essay featured in October 2020’s Centre Write magazine
2021 winner Tom Spencer, whose essay featured in February 2022’s Centre Write magazine
2022 winner Cllr Jude D’Alesio, whose essay featured in our Autumn 2023 Centre Write magazine
2023 winner Callum Westwood, whose essay will feature in our March 2024 Centre Write magazine
2025 winner Thomas Bevan, whose essay featured in Centre Write.
Congratulations to 2025’s winner Thomas Bevan and his essay discussing ‘Can Britain have a smarter state?’
