Philip Gould, Baron Gould of Brookwood
Encyclopedia
Philip Gould, Baron Gould of Brookwood (30 March 1950 – 6 November 2011) was a British political consultant, and former advertising executive, closely linked to the Labour Party
. Appointed by Director of Communications Peter Mandelson
, he was strategy and polling adviser to the Labour Party in the general elections of 1987, 1992, 1997, 2001 and 2005. Involved in 'modernising' the party's image, Gould was particularly connected with Tony Blair
and New Labour.
, where his father was a headmaster, but failed his 11-plus and went to a Secondary modern school
. Leaving school with only one O-level, he went on to study at East London College, based in Toynbee Hall
, where he gained four A-levels
. He subsequently won a place at the University of Sussex
in 1971 to study politics
, graduating in 1974. Gould then went to the London School of Economics
to study for an MSc in the history of political thought, where he was taught by the political scientist Michael Oakeshott
. Later he returned to the LSE to teach a course in Politics and Communication.
(later CEO of Random House UK), whom he had met at Sussex, Gould founded his own polling and strategy company, Philip Gould Associates, in 1985. Appointed by Mandelson, Gould recruited the Shadow Communications Agency, a team of communication volunteers, who created Labour's admired, if unsuccessful, 1987 election campaign. This led to his position of influence within the Labour Party under Neil Kinnock
and Tony Blair
.
In the afterword of his (only) book The Unfinished Revolution: How the Modernisers Saved the Labour Party (1998) he proposed the amalgamation of the Labour and Liberal Democratic Parties, the purpose of this being the unity of all anti-conservative forces in Britain. This, he said, should facilitate the creation of "the progressive century", "a century in which progressive politics can take hold, and in which the great majority of working people are helped and supported … not now and again but again and again", this being in contrast to the previous "conservative century".
He was the writer of a leaked memo which, in 2000, described the New Labour brand as being contaminated.
On 7 June 2004 he was made a life peer as Baron Gould of Brookwood, of Brookwood
in the County of Surrey.
Preceding an interview with Andrew Marr on the Sunday morning BBC TV show, 18 September 2011, it was revealed that his treatment for three-times recurring cancer of the oesophagus
had been unsuccessful, and that he would have only a few months to live. He discussed this in detail in the interview.
He died on 6 November 2011. He is survived by his wife Gail Rebuck and two daughters, Grace and Georgia.
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. Appointed by Director of Communications Peter Mandelson
Peter Mandelson
Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, served in a number of Cabinet positions under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and was a European Commissioner...
, he was strategy and polling adviser to the Labour Party in the general elections of 1987, 1992, 1997, 2001 and 2005. Involved in 'modernising' the party's image, Gould was particularly connected with Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and New Labour.
Early life and education
Gould grew up in WokingWoking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
, where his father was a headmaster, but failed his 11-plus and went to a Secondary modern school
Secondary modern school
A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s, under the Tripartite System, and was designed for the majority of pupils - those who do not achieve scores in the top 25% of the eleven plus examination...
. Leaving school with only one O-level, he went on to study at East London College, based in Toynbee Hall
Toynbee Hall
Toynbee Hall is a building in Tower Hamlets, East London which is the home of a charity working to bridge the gap between people of all social and financial backgrounds, with a focus on eradicating poverty and promoting social inclusion....
, where he gained four A-levels
GCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
. He subsequently won a place at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
in 1971 to study politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, graduating in 1974. Gould then went to the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
to study for an MSc in the history of political thought, where he was taught by the political scientist Michael Oakeshott
Michael Oakeshott
Michael Joseph Oakeshott was an English philosopher and political theorist who wrote about philosophy of history, philosophy of religion, aesthetics, and philosophy of law...
. Later he returned to the LSE to teach a course in Politics and Communication.
Career
After a career in advertising, and with the success of his wife Gail RebuckGail Rebuck
Dame Gail Rebuck, Baroness Gould of Brookwood DBE is a British publisher, chairman and chief executive of Random House UK. She was married to Philip Gould, Lord Gould of Brookwood until his death in November 2011.-Life:...
(later CEO of Random House UK), whom he had met at Sussex, Gould founded his own polling and strategy company, Philip Gould Associates, in 1985. Appointed by Mandelson, Gould recruited the Shadow Communications Agency, a team of communication volunteers, who created Labour's admired, if unsuccessful, 1987 election campaign. This led to his position of influence within the Labour Party under Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock
Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
and Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
.
In the afterword of his (only) book The Unfinished Revolution: How the Modernisers Saved the Labour Party (1998) he proposed the amalgamation of the Labour and Liberal Democratic Parties, the purpose of this being the unity of all anti-conservative forces in Britain. This, he said, should facilitate the creation of "the progressive century", "a century in which progressive politics can take hold, and in which the great majority of working people are helped and supported … not now and again but again and again", this being in contrast to the previous "conservative century".
He was the writer of a leaked memo which, in 2000, described the New Labour brand as being contaminated.
On 7 June 2004 he was made a life peer as Baron Gould of Brookwood, of Brookwood
Brookwood, Surrey
Brookwood is a village in Surrey, located about 5 km west of Woking, in a semi-rural location. It lies on the western border of the Woking Borough ....
in the County of Surrey.
Preceding an interview with Andrew Marr on the Sunday morning BBC TV show, 18 September 2011, it was revealed that his treatment for three-times recurring cancer of the oesophagus
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
had been unsuccessful, and that he would have only a few months to live. He discussed this in detail in the interview.
He died on 6 November 2011. He is survived by his wife Gail Rebuck and two daughters, Grace and Georgia.
Works
- Gould, Philip (1999). The Unfinished Revolution: How the Modernisers Saved the Labour Party Abacus, ISBN 0-349-11177-4