The society's Chair holds the position for one year, elected by the Fabian Executive. Anne Campbell succeeds Ed Balls MP, Chair in 2007 and Vice-Chair in 2006, Balls will remain closely involved with the Society as a member of the Fabian Society Executive.

The 'Change the World' new year conference on Saturday 19th January kicks off the Society's programme for 2008. Campbell says that the Fabians will focus on new thinking on inequality, foreign policy and democracy and seek to influence Gordon Brown's government with a powerful progressive vision.

Anne Campbell said:"Over the last two years, Fabians have put equality and life chances back at the centre of debate and shown that we can set the agenda. The Fabian programme for 2008 will put forward a powerful vision which can revitalise progressive politics and shape the agenda of the Labour government."

This Fabian year includes Ed Milliband launching a major two-year project on fighting poverty and inequality in an age of affluence. THe Fabians will also be asking how Britain meets the challenge of ending child poverty – and pressing to make that cause a central issue at the next general election.

We kicked off the year with our major 'Change the World' conference. We may have to put up with another year of George Bush – but change is on the way. So 2008 needs to be a year of new ideas in foreign policy where we explore how Britain and the EU can shape an effective multilateral agenda to deal with climate change, development, Middle East peace and the battle for hearts and minds.

A new progressive foreign policy is also needed to heal the deep divisions which remain from the Iraq war. I voted against the Iraq war in parliament but the war was the issue which contributed most to my defeat in Cambridge in 2005. Gordon Brown will need a new agenda to rebuild the coalition of support which Labour needs to be re-elected.

We must also renew our democracy. Debates on party funding and Lords reform which offer a chance to change politics too. The Fabian Society should engage with issues of democratic renewal and party reform, making the case for political parties are an essential part of a healthy democracy but also that depends on parties changing to give members a much greater say in making policies and holding politicians to account.

I would like to thank Ed Balls for a brilliant year as Chair, particularly in championing the Fabian Society's work on life chances and inequality. I look forward to working with the Fabian Executive, with Sunder Katwala and the Fabian staff team and with Fabians around the country as we seek to show how radical ideas can re-engage people with politics'

Sadiq Khan MP said:

'It is an honour to be involved as Vice Chair with an organisation that has done so much to shape the Labour Party and which continues to influence the Government today. The Fabian belief that social reform could be achieved by sustained, progressive, political argument is as relevant today as it was at the Society's conception, more than 100 years ago. Fabians have researched and lobbied for Labour's greatest achievements – including the NHS and the minimum wage – and continue to influence and shape the progressive policies of the future on issues from health and housing to the foreign policy debates we are holding this weekend. What is special about the Fabian Society is how we draw from academics, politicians and thousands of members to help set the political agenda.'

Biographies

Anne Campbell, Fabian Chair, was the Labour MP for Cambridge from 1992 until 2005. She is a statistician and Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society and a mathematics graduate of the University of Cambridge. Anne resigned from her position as PPS to Patricia Hewitt at the DTI to vote against the Iraq war in March 2003.

Sadiq Khan, Fabian Vice-Chair, has been MP for Tooting since 2005 and is an assistant government whip. He is a former chair of Liberty. Sadiq is currently leading on a Fabian project on British Muslim citizenship and integration with John Denham MP.

Suresh Pushpananthan Fabian Vice-Chair, is a neurosurgeon. He is also a member of the board of directors of Drugscope.