Matthew Patten

CEO, Fix Britain. Previously Political & Comms Director at Centre for Social Justice. Former MEP - EU Employment & Social Affairs Committee.

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

Another chaotic @LeShuttle experience... Horrendous delays at Folkestone last wk, now paid a whacking extra to get an earlier shuttle home, told to go straight through, and then made to park up again. LeWait, LeGrandPain! 🙁

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

Good to be back @csjthinktank ... desperate stats on shocking educational outcomes...really important insight and recommendations about technical education. 😎

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

@IsabelOakeshott @TiceRichard @reformparty_uk Fab news, congrats to you both. 👏😎

[Liam Halligan @LiamHalligan]

The other day, I asked one of the various AI-driven search engines a question: “Name British Wimbledon Champions of the last fifty years”

The answer included the fabulous Virginia Wade, of course, who so memorably took the Ladies Singles title in 1977 - the year of the late Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

And Andy Murray obviously achieved that superb Wimbledon win in 2013, becoming Britain’s first men’s singles champion since the great Fred Perry took the title three times on the trot back in the 1930s.

But, but, but ... In 2023, Britain’s Neal Skupski took the Wimbledon men’s doubles title, paired with Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands. That makes Skupski a bone fide Wimbledon champion – who AI failed to mention

The following year, 2024, Henry Patten retained the Wimbledon men's doubles title for Britain, along with Finland’s Harri Heliovaara.

And this year 2025, two Brits combined to keep the men's doubles title for Britain for the third year in a row - Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool.

So that makes another four Wimbledon champions over the last fifty years, as well as Virginia Wade and Andy Murray.

Let's not forget mixed doubles, either. The brilliant Jo Durie and fellow Brit Jeremy Bates won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 1987. Heather Watson won the mixed doubles title in 2016, partnering with Finland's Henri Kontinen.

And Neal Skupski (partnering with Desirae Krawczyk of the US) won the Wimbledon mixed doubles in 2021 and 2022, along with his 2023 men's double title.

Oh - and 2024 Wimbledon men's doubles champion Henry Patten also won, again with Harri Heliovaara, the Australian Open men's doubles title earlier this year.

With the 2026 Australian Open due to start in mid-January, I decided to invite Henry Patten to be a guest on Planet Normal - the weekly @Telegraph podcast that I co-present with @AllisonPearson

I wanted to interview Henry because, for my money, doubles is at least as entertaining to watch as singles tennis - with its fast reflexes and astonishing net-play, quite often even more so.

And it is surely, just as huge an achievement to win doubles grand slams (including Wimbledon) as it is to win singles titles.

Yet we hear so little about the UK's considerable success in tennis doubles - and, to me, that doesn't seem right.

🧵1/2

[LTA @the_LTA]

ACE 🏆
ACE 🏆
ACE 🏆
ACE 🏆

All four of Henry Patten & Harri Heliovaara's titles this year were sealed with an ace! 🤯

🎥 @tntsports | @TennisTV

[LTA @the_LTA]

CHAMPIONS of the Nitto ATP Finals 🏆

Henry Patten & Harri Heliovaara fight past Joe Salisbury & Neal Skupski 7-5, 6-3 to claim the title

#BackTheBrits 🇬🇧

[The Centre for Social Justice @csjthinktank]

SOLVING THE SCHOOL ABSENCE CRISIS, LIVE: https://t.co/8iWujJDAAu

[The Centre for Social Justice @csjthinktank]

LOST BOYS LIVE AT REFORM:

⭐️Star-studded panel discussing the issues facing boys and young men in the UK in 2025👇

@montie
@AndyCook_CSJ
@_GeorgeFinch
@miriam_cates
@IsabelOakeshott
@LeeAndersonMP_

https://t.co/PPeSyQi5ji

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

Very happy to be starting as CEO at Fix Britain today. The clue is in the name. 😎

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

@iamtomskinner TipTop Tom. Great to see you standing alongside boys and young men. 👏

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

Thrilled to be appointed CEO of @FixBritain_.

Something is broken about Britain and the way we are run, far beyond usual moaning about politicians & public services. Our ambition is to build a detailed blueprint for a govt that works and that can be delivered in practice. 👷

[Fix Britain @FixBritain_]

We are building a comprehensive blueprint for government that will set out in detail the policies, legislation and implementation plans required to fix the root causes of Britain’s most serious problems.

https://t.co/IW2qfOI5rw

Visit https://t.co/e1O5v8iSnz to find out more.

[The Centre for Social Justice @csjthinktank]

📺WATCH: Housing First has been a 'demonstrable success' in Liverpool , @MetroMayorSteve said at our recent roundtable🏘️

🇬🇧Alongside the Steve Morgan Foundation and regional partners, we're exploring how to scale it nationally.

Learn more👇

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

What do you think about the Government's new sentencing review?

[The Centre for Social Justice @csjthinktank]

WATCH: The Independent Review is an opening for Government to get creative on sentencing👨‍⚖️

Research Director Ed Davies takes a deep-dive into the Review's findings👇

Our report, All Options, has the tools @ShabanaMahmood needs to make the most of Intensive Supervision Courts

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

Powerful comments from Sophie Winkleman about the impact of social media and smartphones on the young.

[The Centre for Social Justice @csjthinktank]

🧠"This isn't just mental health, this is brain damage"

Actress and Campaigner Sophie Winkleman calls for action on screen addiction in our latest Beyond Westminster Podcast: 'Screen-Demic'📱

Watch here: https://t.co/JHgVHIU3tX

Or listen where you get your podcasts🎧

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

@RSylvesterTimes Wow. Congrats.😎

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

Excellent by @StevenBartlett 👏

[The Centre for Social Justice @csjthinktank]

❗️MUST WATCH: Diary of A CEO by @StevenBartlett on the Lost Boys emergency.

📺See YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts: https://t.co/uSnJOABVL6

CSJ CEO @AndyCook_CSJ 'Something is going on with our boys.'

Check out our our Lost Boys report👇

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

@DavidWooding @BowenBBC Yes, I don't think I've ever seen a section quite like that in the main evening BBC news before. @bowenbbc is a complete hero, but he looked in shock as did @ChrisMasonBBC and Jane Hill.

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

How to get more young people into work, help employers and raise £billions for the public purse...

[The Centre for Social Justice @csjthinktank]

Almost 1 million young people are NEET.

Next month, @LeicesterLiz sets out her plan to Get Britain Working.

A 40% tax break off hiring a young NEET could give under 25s the chance they need and put billions in treasury coffers.

📺 Policy Director @eddavies_ lays out how👇

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

Given the parlous state of the economy, this could be part of the solution.

[The Centre for Social Justice @csjthinktank]

Here's how to halve the 1 million young people classed as NEET + gain a whopping £23bn🛠️

By giving firms a 40% tax break off the cost of taking on a NEET:

🔴Firms will hire more young people
🔴 £23bn extra in welfare savings + additional personal taxes👇
https://t.co/Z7bu0Q8zQY

[Matthew Patten @math_patten]

Breakfast of champions. 😎 @McDonalds

[Calvin Betton @Calvbetton]

Winning a Grand Slam title at 2am, celebrating with a McDonalds at 4am on a street bench in South Yarra. A day I’ll never forget.

https://t.co/tADwzbm3i2