Vinson, who found the Centre's first premises, underwrote the lease and employed its staff, served as honorary treasurer as well as contributing to the intellectual life of the think-tank. The role of the Centre was "to act as outsider, skirmisher, trail-blazer, to  moot new ideas and policies.
Vinson, who discovered the Centre's initial location, financed the lease, hired its staff, served as honorary treasurer, and contributed to the intellectual atmosphere of the think tank. The Centre was tasked with acting as an outsider, a challenger, a pioneer, to debate new ideas and policies.