Spencer Livermore
Encyclopedia
Spencer Livermore is a strategy
and communication
s professional. He is Director of Strategy at London-based communications consultancy Blue Rubicon
, advising clients on strategy, communications, research and message development in the context of corporate and brand campaigns. He was Director of Strategy for Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
, Gordon Brown
in 10 Downing Street
until 2008, and a member of the campaign team in the successful General Elections of 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Livermore grew up in Wickford
, Essex
, attending Beauchamps Comprehensive School and Basildon College, before taking a BSc (Econ) in Government at the London School of Economics
, where he graduated in 1996.
After graduating, Livermore worked for Gordon Brown, then Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, during the 1997 General Election
campaign in which the Labour Party
under the leadership of Tony Blair
returned to power following 18 years in opposition to the Conservative Party
. After the campaign he was appointed a Special Adviser in the Treasury
, working as a key political aide to Gordon Brown, who was then Chancellor of the Exchequer
.
In the run-up to the 2001 General Election, at the request of the Chancellor, who was Chair of Strategy for the election campaign, Livermore went to work alongside the General Election co-ordinator Douglas Alexander
, Member of Parliament
, at the Labour Party’s Millbank Tower
headquarters, helping to run the campaign as Director of Research. When he returned to the Treasury after the 2001 General Election, Livermore was appointed as Special Adviser
to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Livermore helped run the 2005 General Election
campaign, acting as Brown's campaign strategist, and working closely with Philip Gould
, after which Livermore was appointed as the most senior of Brown’s advisers, as Chief Strategy Adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, responsible for planning strategic communications, managing all qualitative and quantitative research, and developing the Government’s economic messaging. During this time, Livermore also worked on a number of US congressional campaigns.
It was subsequently reported that as Chief Strategy Adviser to the Chancellor, Livermore opposed the disastrous abolition of the 10p rate of income tax in the 2007 Budget, but was overruled by the Chancellor.
Following Tony Blair’s resignation as Prime Minister on 27 June 2007, Gordon Brown, as the new Leader of the Labour Party, became Prime Minister. Gordon Brown appointed Livermore to 10 Downing Street as Director of Strategy, attending Cabinet
meetings and with responsibility for strategic planning, narrative construction and message development. He devised the strategy and narrative for Gordon Brown’s leadership transition in 2007 and Brown’s subsequent first 100 days.
Livermore was the first of Gordon Brown’s advisers to advocate holding an early General Election in the autumn of 2007, writing the initial strategy memo to the Prime Minister setting out this course of action.
After Gordon Brown failed to call a General Election, Livermore left Downing Street in 2008 and joined advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon as Senior Strategist, shaping strategy for clients including Eurostar
, the BBC
, and Asda
. He was the first of Gordon Brown’s senior advisers to leave Downing Street, and was replaced in Number 10 by David Muir
from WPP
.
In September 2009, it was reported that Livermore had been asked by Peter Mandelson
to return to Downing Street as Chief of Staff, and by Gordon Brown to run the planning of Labour's election campaign, but that he had declined both offers.
Livermore has said little publicly about his time in Downing Street, although he gave an interview to Steve Richards on BBC Radio 4 in September 2010, setting out the events leading up to the ‘non-election’ of 2007. He has also written on political strategy for the Guardian newspaper.
Livermore is now a Director at London-based communications consultancy Blue Rubicon
. He set up and has Board responsibility for the agency’s Strategic Consulting arm, developing insight-based communication, campaign, and brand positioning strategies for multinational companies, including Shell
, Coca-Cola
, GSK
, Lloyds Banking Group
, Centrica
, and McDonalds.
He advises clients on their corporate and brand positioning, applying the techniques of political campaign strategy to provide clarity on strategic direction, maximise competitive differentials, and develop messaging that resonates with target audiences.
In November 2007 Gay Times
described him as the most powerful gay man in Britain. In December 2007, Pink News listed him as the most powerful gay person in British politics. He lives with his partner, Seb Dance, in London
, who is also a former government special adviser - to Northern Ireland Secretary, Shaun Woodward http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wms/?id=2007-11-22a.147WS.4.
Strategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
and communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
s professional. He is Director of Strategy at London-based communications consultancy Blue Rubicon
Blue Rubicon
is a privately owned communications consultancy which was established in 1999 by Fraser Hardie and Chris Jones ....
, advising clients on strategy, communications, research and message development in the context of corporate and brand campaigns. He was Director of Strategy for Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
in 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
until 2008, and a member of the campaign team in the successful General Elections of 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Livermore grew up in Wickford
Wickford
Wickford is a town in the south of the English county of Essex, with a population of more than 32,500. Located approximately 30 miles east of London, it falls within the District of Basildon along with Basildon, Billericay, Laindon and Pitsea....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, attending Beauchamps Comprehensive School and Basildon College, before taking a BSc (Econ) in Government at 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...
, where he graduated in 1996.
After graduating, Livermore worked for Gordon Brown, then Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, during the 1997 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
campaign in which the Labour Party
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...
under the leadership of 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...
returned to power following 18 years in opposition to the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. After the campaign he was appointed a Special Adviser in the Treasury
Treasury
A treasury is either*A government department related to finance and taxation.*A place where currency or precious items is/are kept....
, working as a key political aide to Gordon Brown, who was then Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
.
In the run-up to the 2001 General Election, at the request of the Chancellor, who was Chair of Strategy for the election campaign, Livermore went to work alongside the General Election co-ordinator Douglas Alexander
Douglas Alexander
Douglas Garven Alexander is a British Labour Party politician, who is currently the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the shadow cabinet of Ed Miliband. He has held cabinet posts under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including Secretary of State for Scotland and...
, Member of Parliament
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,...
, at the Labour Party’s Millbank Tower
Millbank Tower
Millbank Tower is a high skyscraper in the City of Westminster at Millbank, on the banks of the River Thames in London, in the United Kingdom. The Tower was constructed in 1963 for Vickers and was originally known as Vickers Tower. It was designed by Ronald Ward and Partners and built by John...
headquarters, helping to run the campaign as Director of Research. When he returned to the Treasury after the 2001 General Election, Livermore was appointed as Special Adviser
Special advisers in the United Kingdom
A special adviser works in a supporting role to the British government. With media, political or policy expertise, their duty is to assist and advise government ministers.-Role:...
to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Livermore helped run the 2005 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
campaign, acting as Brown's campaign strategist, and working closely with Philip Gould
Philip Gould, Baron Gould of Brookwood
Philip Gould, Baron Gould of Brookwood 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,...
, after which Livermore was appointed as the most senior of Brown’s advisers, as Chief Strategy Adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, responsible for planning strategic communications, managing all qualitative and quantitative research, and developing the Government’s economic messaging. During this time, Livermore also worked on a number of US congressional campaigns.
It was subsequently reported that as Chief Strategy Adviser to the Chancellor, Livermore opposed the disastrous abolition of the 10p rate of income tax in the 2007 Budget, but was overruled by the Chancellor.
Following Tony Blair’s resignation as Prime Minister on 27 June 2007, Gordon Brown, as the new Leader of the Labour Party, became Prime Minister. Gordon Brown appointed Livermore to 10 Downing Street as Director of Strategy, attending Cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
meetings and with responsibility for strategic planning, narrative construction and message development. He devised the strategy and narrative for Gordon Brown’s leadership transition in 2007 and Brown’s subsequent first 100 days.
Livermore was the first of Gordon Brown’s advisers to advocate holding an early General Election in the autumn of 2007, writing the initial strategy memo to the Prime Minister setting out this course of action.
After Gordon Brown failed to call a General Election, Livermore left Downing Street in 2008 and joined advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon as Senior Strategist, shaping strategy for clients including Eurostar
Eurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
, the BBC
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...
, and Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
. He was the first of Gordon Brown’s senior advisers to leave Downing Street, and was replaced in Number 10 by David Muir
David S. Muir
David S Muir is a Scottish marketing and political communications professional. He was Director of Political Strategy for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown between 2008 and 2010.-Biography:...
from WPP
WPP Group
WPP plc is a global media communications services company with its main management office in London, United Kingdom and its executive office in Dublin, Ireland. It is the world's largest advertising group by revenues, and employs over 150,000 people in 2,400 offices in 107 countries...
.
In September 2009, it was reported that Livermore had been asked by 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...
to return to Downing Street as Chief of Staff, and by Gordon Brown to run the planning of Labour's election campaign, but that he had declined both offers.
Livermore has said little publicly about his time in Downing Street, although he gave an interview to Steve Richards on BBC Radio 4 in September 2010, setting out the events leading up to the ‘non-election’ of 2007. He has also written on political strategy for the Guardian newspaper.
Livermore is now a Director at London-based communications consultancy Blue Rubicon
Blue Rubicon
is a privately owned communications consultancy which was established in 1999 by Fraser Hardie and Chris Jones ....
. He set up and has Board responsibility for the agency’s Strategic Consulting arm, developing insight-based communication, campaign, and brand positioning strategies for multinational companies, including Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
, Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, GSK
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
, Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Banking Group plc is a major British financial institution, formed through the acquisition of HBOS by Lloyds TSB in 2009. As at February 2010, HM Treasury held a 41% shareholding through UK Financial Investments Limited . The Group headquarters is located at 25 Gresham Street in London, with...
, Centrica
Centrica
Centrica plc is a multinational utility company, based in the United Kingdom but also with interests in North America. Centrica is the largest supplier of gas to domestic customers in the UK, and one of the largest suppliers of electricity, operating under the trading names "Scottish Gas" in...
, and McDonalds.
He advises clients on their corporate and brand positioning, applying the techniques of political campaign strategy to provide clarity on strategic direction, maximise competitive differentials, and develop messaging that resonates with target audiences.
In November 2007 Gay Times
Gay Times
Gay Times is one of the United Kingdom's leading gay magazine for gay and bisexual men.-Publication and content:...
described him as the most powerful gay man in Britain. In December 2007, Pink News listed him as the most powerful gay person in British politics. He lives with his partner, Seb Dance, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, who is also a former government special adviser - to Northern Ireland Secretary, Shaun Woodward http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wms/?id=2007-11-22a.147WS.4.