38 Degrees

38 Degrees is a British not-for-profit political-activism organisation launched on 26 May 2009. It presents itself as a progressive, people-powered movement campaigning for fairness, the defence of rights, peace, environmental protection and a deeper form of democracy in the United Kingdom. Its name refers to the angle at which a pile of snow can become an avalanche, expressing the organisation’s theory that small actions by large numbers of people can produce significant political pressure. The organisation emerged during the parliamentary expenses scandal, when public confidence in British politics was under particular strain. Its early work focused on democratic accountability and on giving voters greater influence over elected representatives, including proposals that would make it easier for constituents to remove MPs. The project was associated with a group of activists and funders including Gordon Roddick, co-founder of The Body Shop, and Henry Tinsley, a former chairman of Green & Black’s. David Babbs, Ben Brandzel, Nina Kowalska and Warren Puckett were among those who developed the project. 38 Degrees was also described as being founded in memory of Anita Roddick, whose advocacy emphasised the ability of ordinary people to create social change. The organisation was inspired by digitally enabled campaigning groups such as MoveOn in the United States, GetUp! in Australia and Avaaz internationally. Rather than operating primarily through traditional local branches, it uses email, online petitions, supporter surveys, fundraising appeals, public communications and coordinated contact with politicians and institutions. Its campaigns have covered issues including public services, forests, climate change, human rights, poverty, democratic participation and labour rights. 38 Degrees describes its decision-making model as “Campaigns by You”. People on its email list, whom the organisation commonly calls members, are invited to identify priorities and vote on potential issues. There is no formal membership in the conventional legal or constitutional sense: the term generally refers to people subscribed to its mailing list. The organisation has said that weekly samples of approximately 50,000 people are asked to select their priorities, with campaigns normally proceeding when there is a strong consensus. The wider supporter base may also be consulted on major or especially contentious questions. This model is intended to let 38 Degrees move quickly while retaining a measure of supporter control. One example of its restraint came in September 2014, when a poll concerning possible military action against ISIS in Iraq produced an evenly divided result; 38 Degrees consequently did not adopt a position. Its funding model is based principally on small donations from individuals. The organisation has reported that the typical contribution is modest, while rapid appeals can attract large numbers of small payments when a legal or political intervention requires support. David Babbs served as executive director from the launch until April 2019. He had previously worked in activism roles at Friends of the Earth and People & Planet and became publicly associated with the campaign that helped oppose a proposed sale of publicly owned forests. After Babbs left the organisation in 2019, Zoe Whyatt served as interim chief executive until 2021. Matthew McGregor was appointed chief executive in September 2021. 38 Degrees remains best understood as a UK campaigning organisation rather than a conventional consumer-facing product brand: its principal offerings are mechanisms for collective political action, including petitions, public mobilisation, member polling, donations and campaign communications.

38 Degrees was established in Britain in 2009 by activists and funders concerned about the condition of democratic participation and interested in using digital tools to organise citizens. The organisation launched on 26 May, during the political aftershocks of the parliamentary expenses scandal. Its founding context shaped an early emphasis on accountability, voter power and the relationship between elected representatives and the public. The project drew on the experience of several founders and developers. Gordon Roddick, known for co-founding The Body Shop, and Henry Tinsley, a former chairman of Green & Black’s, were among the figures associated with the founding group. Pete Myers and Paul Hilder were also named as founders, while Ben Brandzel, Nina Kowalska, David Babbs and Warren Puckett helped develop the project. The organisation described itself as being founded in memory of Anita Roddick, who had promoted socially engaged business and the capacity of ordinary people to influence institutions. From the outset, 38 Degrees adapted the organising techniques of internet-based advocacy groups including MoveOn, GetUp! and Avaaz. Its distinctive method was to combine a large email list with rapid online action. Supporters could sign petitions, contact MPs, donate small amounts, respond to surveys or participate in public-facing campaigns without joining a formal local branch. This enabled the organisation to coordinate large numbers of actions quickly and to make campaign participation relatively accessible. The organisation’s structure has been described as decentralised and informal, with management operating above a relatively flat supporter base. It was previously registered under the name Progressive Majority and operates as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. 38 Degrees has promoted a participatory process known as “Campaigns by You”, under which supporters help determine priorities. The organisation has stated that it regularly surveys a randomly selected group of approximately 50,000 people from its list each week. Issues receiving strong backing may be developed into campaigns, while questions producing no clear consensus may not lead to an organisational position. The approach has allowed 38 Degrees to work across multiple policy areas rather than concentrating on a single cause. Its stated concerns include fairness, rights, peace, environmental protection and democratic renewal. Campaign activity has included opposition to the proposed sale of public forests, actions connected with climate and environmental protection, support for public-interest legal challenges, and campaigns relating to poverty, human rights and working conditions. The organisation has also used its supporter base to test positions on controversial foreign-policy questions. In 2014, for example, a poll on military action against ISIS in Iraq was evenly divided, and the organisation chose not to take a position. Funding has primarily come from individual donations. Its appeals generally rely on many modest contributions rather than a small number of large institutional donors. The organisation has said that its average donation is around £10, while an appeal connected with a legal challenge to zero-hours contracts generated 11,000 responses within 48 hours after asking supporters for contributions of £1. This small-donor approach is both a funding mechanism and part of the organisation’s claim to independence from traditional political and corporate funders. David Babbs was executive director from the launch through April 2019. Before joining 38 Degrees, he held activism roles at Friends of the Earth and People & Planet. He became particularly visible in connection with the campaign against the proposed sale of public forests and was named by The Independent among its “Great Britons” in 2011. In 2019, 38 Degrees dismissed him for gross misconduct after an investigation found that he had shared illegal drugs with other staff members. In 2020, the organisation said an independent report commissioned after his dismissal had substantiated certain allegations of unacceptable and unprofessional workplace conduct. Zoe Whyatt served as interim chief executive from 2019 to 2021. Matthew McGregor became chief executive in September 2021. The organisation’s continuing identity is based less on a physical product than on its campaigning infrastructure: a recognisable name, a large supporter network, digital communications, participatory polling and the capacity to turn public concern into coordinated political pressure.

• 2021

  Matthew McGregor becomes chief executive

  [1]38 Degreesen.wikipedia.org

  Matthew McGregor is appointed to lead the organisation after the interim period.

• 2019

  Founding executive director leaves

  [1]38 Degreesen.wikipedia.org

  David Babbs is dismissed for gross misconduct and Zoe Whyatt becomes interim chief executive.

• 2014

  Supporter poll produces no position on Iraq military action

  [1]38 Degreesen.wikipedia.org

  An even split in a supporter poll leads 38 Degrees not to adopt a position on military action targeting ISIS in Iraq.

• 2011

  Public forest campaign gains prominence

  [1]38 Degreesen.wikipedia.org

  38 Degrees becomes associated with public mobilisation against a proposed sale of publicly owned forests.

• 2009

  38 Degrees launches

  [1]38 Degreesen.wikipedia.org

  The organisation begins operating on 26 May against the backdrop of the UK parliamentary expenses scandal, with an initial focus on democratic accountability and citizen power.

A non-partisan, progressive and digitally enabled UK campaigning movement that gives ordinary citizens accessible ways to coordinate political action and influence public debate.

• Digital campaigning · 2009

  Online petitions

  Petitions are a central 38 Degrees mechanism for gathering visible public support around a policy, institutional or community issue. They allow supporters to endorse a specific demand and provide the organisation with a means of demonstrating the scale of concern to politicians, public bodies and other decision-makers. The petition format is commonly combined with email updates, media work and further coordinated actions.

• Participatory campaign selection · 2009

  Campaigns by You

  Campaigns by You is 38 Degrees’ supporter-led approach to selecting issues. People on the organisation’s mailing list are surveyed about their priorities, and campaigns are generally developed where there is a strong level of agreement. The model is intended to give supporters influence over the organisation’s agenda while allowing staff to turn collective preferences into practical political actions.

• Small-donor fundraising · 2009

  Public-interest fundraising appeals

  38 Degrees raises money from individuals to support campaigning, communications and public-interest interventions. Appeals typically seek many small donations, allowing the organisation to respond quickly when a campaign or legal challenge requires resources. The model is presented as a way of maintaining a broad supporter-funded base rather than relying primarily on a small group of major donors.

• 2020

  Independent workplace-conduct report

  38 Degrees said that an independent report commissioned after Babbs’s dismissal substantiated certain allegations of unacceptable and unprofessional conduct in the workplace.

  Source

• 2019

  Dismissal of David Babbs for gross misconduct

  Founding executive director David Babbs was dismissed after an investigation found that he had shared illegal drugs with other staff members. The episode led to a leadership transition and later organisational scrutiny of workplace conduct.

  Source

Read more

• 2014Supporter consultation on military action against ISIS

  United Kingdom

  The organisation asked supporters whether it should support or oppose military action targeting ISIS in Iraq.

  Outcome. The result was evenly divided, so 38 Degrees did not take an organisational position.

  Source
• 2010Save England’s forests

  United Kingdom

  38 Degrees mobilised public opposition to a government proposal to sell publicly owned forests. The campaign used online petitions, supporter communications and public pressure to make forest ownership a prominent political issue.

  Outcome. The proposed sell-off was halted, although the available reference material does not attribute the result exclusively to 38 Degrees.

  Source
• Zero-hours-contracts legal challenge

  United Kingdom

  38 Degrees sought small donations to support a legal challenge concerning zero-hours contracts, illustrating its use of rapid, supporter-funded interventions on labour and economic issues.

  Outcome. The available reference material records a rapid response of 11,000 donations within 48 hours but does not provide a final legal outcome.

  Source

• 2019

  Leadership transition following misconduct dismissalStrategy

  Background

  An investigation into workplace conduct resulted in the dismissal of founding executive director David Babbs.

  Action taken

  38 Degrees removed Babbs from his role and moved to interim leadership under Zoe Whyatt.

  Aftermath

  The organisation later commissioned an independent report and appointed Matthew McGregor as chief executive in 2021.

  Source

• 2014

  No organisational position on Iraq military actionStrategy

  Background

  38 Degrees consulted supporters on whether to support or oppose military action targeting ISIS in Iraq.

  Action taken

  Because the poll produced an even split, the organisation decided not to campaign for either position.

  Aftermath

  The episode illustrated the organisation’s stated practice of avoiding a position where its supporter base lacks a clear consensus.

  Source

1. 138 Degreesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official 38 Degrees website38degrees.org.uk