 While the Labour Party was in government, a number of the think tank's meetings were held at Number 11 Downing Street, and the organisation allegedly had close ties with Gordon Brown.Following a complaint from the right-wing media in 2001, the Smith Institute was the subject of an inquiry by the Charity Commission, which closed in 2002.Ed Balls MP was given a Senior Research Fellowship at the Institute after he left HM Treasury to stand as a Parliamentary candidate in 2004.