Polly Billington
Encyclopedia
Polly Billington is a former BBC
journalist who worked on the Today programme before becoming a special advisor to Ed Miliband
. She was the media director for his successful bid in the Labour leadership election, 2010.She is currently seeking to represent Labour as its prospective parliamentary candidate in Thurrock at the next election.
in 1993.
, News 24 and the Politics Show. She covered a variety of subjects, focusing particularly on issues of public political engagement and reducing voter apathy, especially amongst
young voters. Her work often involved helping voters understand how a seemingly-irrelevant political discussions affected their day to day lives, and was praised for making political process and issues more appealing to its audience. She was also Radio 1's first ever political reporter
She became a special adviser to Ed Miliband in 2007 when he was working on party policy and election strategy in the Cabinet Office and according to the Daily Telegraph she is currently the 59th most influential person on the left.
She sought to become an MP
in February 2010, when she was shortlisted for the Labour stronghold of North Tyneside, but she lost out to a local candidate. She was the media director for Ed Miliband
's successful Labour leadership bid. She is credited with honing his questions and replies to David Cameron
at Prime Minister's Questions
.
Writing in the Telegraph in December 2010, Peter Oborne aimed criticism at Billington's performance: 'There is an air of chronic disorganisation to the Miliband operation. Shortly after he was elected leader, I rang his office on a weekday morning. The phone rang for minutes without being answered. So I wrote a note instead. More than a month later, there has been no reply. His political advice is weak. Miliband prepares for Prime Minister’s Questions with three advisers who are surprisingly junior: MPs Chuka Umunna and Ann McGuire, and ex-journalist Polly Billington. Not even Ed Miliband’s closest supporters can claim these three are up to the task after a series of mistakes in PMQs.'
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
journalist who worked on the Today programme before becoming a special advisor to Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
. She was the media director for his successful bid in the Labour leadership election, 2010.She is currently seeking to represent Labour as its prospective parliamentary candidate in Thurrock at the next election.
Education
Ms Billington took a postgraduate diploma in Broadcast Journalism at the department of Journalism, Media and Communication, University of Central LancashireJournalism, Media and Communication, University of Central Lancashire
The School of Journalism, Media and Communication, University of Central Lancashire is one of the UK's longest established centres of journalism teaching, growing out of the Harris College, Preston.-Education:...
in 1993.
Career
Ms Billington was a BBC reporter for the Today programme, Radio 1 NewsbeatNewsbeat
Newsbeat is the flagship news programme on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. Newsbeat is produced by BBC News but differs from the BBC's other news programmes in its remit to provide news tailored for a specifically younger audience....
, News 24 and the Politics Show. She covered a variety of subjects, focusing particularly on issues of public political engagement and reducing voter apathy, especially amongst
young voters. Her work often involved helping voters understand how a seemingly-irrelevant political discussions affected their day to day lives, and was praised for making political process and issues more appealing to its audience. She was also Radio 1's first ever political reporter
She became a special adviser to Ed Miliband in 2007 when he was working on party policy and election strategy in the Cabinet Office and according to the Daily Telegraph she is currently the 59th most influential person on the left.
She sought to become an MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in February 2010, when she was shortlisted for the Labour stronghold of North Tyneside, but she lost out to a local candidate. She was the media director for Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
's successful Labour leadership bid. She is credited with honing his questions and replies to David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
at Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime minister's questions is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom that takes place every Wednesday during which the prime minister spends half an hour answering questions from members of parliament...
.
The bid for Thurrock
In November 2011, Billington launched another bid to be selected as a Labour MP, this time in Thurrock.Criticism
Billington has received criticism in her role, both in the media and in Labour circles. Writing on Labour Uncut in June 2011, Dan Hodges alluded to the fact that Billington had been responsible for damaging briefing against David Miliband and his supporters during the leadership campaign: 'Although the briefing hurt David Miliband personally, those around him acknowledge the political impact was relatively minimal: “We’re talking Ed Miliband and Polly Billington”, said an insider, “Not Gordon and Damian McBride”.Writing in the Telegraph in December 2010, Peter Oborne aimed criticism at Billington's performance: 'There is an air of chronic disorganisation to the Miliband operation. Shortly after he was elected leader, I rang his office on a weekday morning. The phone rang for minutes without being answered. So I wrote a note instead. More than a month later, there has been no reply. His political advice is weak. Miliband prepares for Prime Minister’s Questions with three advisers who are surprisingly junior: MPs Chuka Umunna and Ann McGuire, and ex-journalist Polly Billington. Not even Ed Miliband’s closest supporters can claim these three are up to the task after a series of mistakes in PMQs.'