Difference between revisions of "Lynton Crosby"
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| − | [[Lynton Crosby]] is a | + | [[Lynton Crosby]] is a spindoctor who helped former Australian Prime Minister [[John Howard]]'s Liberal Party win four consecutive elections between 1996 and 2004.<ref>P.27, Howard's Way, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 13-September-2003</ref> Crosby has orchestrated various campaigns for the [[Conservative Party]] including advising [[Iain Duncan Smith]] in 2003<ref>P.27, Howard's Way, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 13-September-2003</ref>, coordinating [[Michael Howard]] failed election campaign of 2005<ref>Nicholas Watt, (John) Howard's way: Tories sign up Australian strategist, ''The Guardian'', 20-October-2004</ref> and successfully helping [[Boris Johnson]] to get elected as London Mayor in 2008 and 2012.<ref>Olga Craig and Melissa Kite, ANALYSIS The Tory mayor signs in with a new image as he prepares to get serious about London, write Olga Craig and Melissa Kite, ''The Sunday Times'', 2-May-2008</ref><ref>Andrew Gilligan, Boris Johnson camp worried at low turnout, ''The Telegraph'', 3-May-2012</ref> He also helped to co-ordinate the 'No to AV' campaign on voting reform in 2010.<ref>Patrick Wintour, Tory activists call on Australian pollster to help block vote reform: Small group looking to raise £100,000 war chest Adviser worked for Boris Johnson in mayoral race, ''The Guardian'', 22-June-2010</ref> |
On 19 November 2012 it was announced that the UK Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] had hired Crosby to work on the [[Conservative Party]]'s campaign for the 2015 election. | On 19 November 2012 it was announced that the UK Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] had hired Crosby to work on the [[Conservative Party]]'s campaign for the 2015 election. | ||
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In 2008 Crosby orchestrated [[Boris Johnson]]'s successful election as the Mayor of London.<ref>Olga Craig and Melissa Kite, ANALYSIS The Tory mayor signs in with a new image as he prepares to get serious about London, write Olga Craig and Melissa Kite, ''The Sunday Times'', 2-May-2008</ref> | In 2008 Crosby orchestrated [[Boris Johnson]]'s successful election as the Mayor of London.<ref>Olga Craig and Melissa Kite, ANALYSIS The Tory mayor signs in with a new image as he prepares to get serious about London, write Olga Craig and Melissa Kite, ''The Sunday Times'', 2-May-2008</ref> | ||
| − | ==2010 No to AV | + | ==2010 No to AV campaign== |
In 2010 Crosby worked with senior Conservative figures on the 'No to AV Campaign'. Other members of the team included [[Bernard Jenkin]] and [[George Eustice]], as well as [[James Frayne]], former campaign director of the [[Taxpayers' Alliance]].<ref>Patrick Wintour, Tory activists call on Australian pollster to help block vote reform: Small group looking to raise £100,000 war chest Adviser worked for Boris Johnson in mayoral race, ''The Guardian'', 22-June-2010</ref> | In 2010 Crosby worked with senior Conservative figures on the 'No to AV Campaign'. Other members of the team included [[Bernard Jenkin]] and [[George Eustice]], as well as [[James Frayne]], former campaign director of the [[Taxpayers' Alliance]].<ref>Patrick Wintour, Tory activists call on Australian pollster to help block vote reform: Small group looking to raise £100,000 war chest Adviser worked for Boris Johnson in mayoral race, ''The Guardian'', 22-June-2010</ref> | ||
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==Criticism== | ==Criticism== | ||
| − | In late October 2012, just weeks before Crosby's advisory role was made official, the Telegraph' | + | In late October 2012, just weeks before Crosby's advisory role was made official, the ''Telegraph's'' political commentator [[Peter Oborne]] wrote that such an appointment "would signal the defeat of everything the PM stands for". <ref>Peter Oborne, [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9637490/Cameron-should-beware-the-Australian-master-strategist.html Cameron should beware the Australian master strategist], ''The Telegraph,'' 27 Oct 2012, accessed 29 October 2012 </ref> |
==Affiliations== | ==Affiliations== | ||
[[CrosbyTextor]] | [[Conservative Party]] | [[Boris Johnson]] | [[CrosbyTextor]] | [[Conservative Party]] | [[Boris Johnson]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Website== | ||
| + | *[http://www.crosbytextor.com/ CrosbyTextor] / C|T Group | ||
==External resources== | ==External resources== | ||
Revision as of 00:54, 21 November 2012
Lynton Crosby is a spindoctor who helped former Australian Prime Minister John Howard's Liberal Party win four consecutive elections between 1996 and 2004.[1] Crosby has orchestrated various campaigns for the Conservative Party including advising Iain Duncan Smith in 2003[2], coordinating Michael Howard failed election campaign of 2005[3] and successfully helping Boris Johnson to get elected as London Mayor in 2008 and 2012.[4][5] He also helped to co-ordinate the 'No to AV' campaign on voting reform in 2010.[6]
On 19 November 2012 it was announced that the UK Prime Minister David Cameron had hired Crosby to work on the Conservative Party's campaign for the 2015 election.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, Crosby advised Boris Johnson to:
- 'Concentrate on traditional Tory voters instead of ‘f****** Muslims’. The source added: ‘He definitely used that phrase’ and said: ‘Lynton’s view was that chasing the Muslim vote and other ethnic groups was a waste of time – and he frequently expressed himself in very strong terms. Some people found it very offensive’.[7]
The same report notes that Crosby issued a statement that he had ‘absolutely no recollection’ of using the term.[8]
Contents
2003 Address to the Conservative Party
In 2003 Crosby addressed a shadow cabinet meeting held by the Conservative Party, he was invited to speak by the party's leader at the time Iain Duncan Smith.[9]
2004 Adviser to Michael Howard
In 2004 Crosby was hired as an adviser to the Conservative Party under Michael Howard's leadership.[10]. He was the election campaign manager for Howard's failed attempt at election in 2005.[11].
Crosby clashed with Liam Fox and Lord Saatchi during the 2005 campaign; he argued that Saatchi's election strategy was '20 years out of date'.[12]. A Conservative Party insider was sacked for leaking details of the rift to the press.[13].
Crosby and Saatchi had made amends by January of the following year, the two men wrote a joint letter to The Times which read as follows:
- Sir, Your report (January 24) under the headline "Election is lost already, top adviser tells Howard" is totally untrue.
- Anyone who knows either of us and what we have achieved in our careers should know that "second place" does not enter our vocabulary.
- We are in the business of winning an overall majority at the general election and we believe that this objective is achievable. In line with our strategy, Conservative policies are being continually rolled out, as we saw last week with those on tax and value for money and this week with our policies on immigration and asylum-seekers.
- It is vital in the national interest that there is a Conservative government led by Michael Howard.[14]
The Conservatives lost the election after paying Crosby a reported £441,146.[15]
2005 CrosbyTextor
In 2005 following the failure of Michael Howard's election campaign Crosby turned to consultancy. His firm CrosbyTextor contacted 'potential clients offering them the benefits of a carefully targeted communications strategy'. They argued that:
- 'We know how to target people. This approach is a legacy of our political heritage' adding that 'Every engagement...was driven by specific objectives. Each is rooted in a clear understanding of what the target audience thinks and how to make that audience change its opinion.'[16]
2005 Conservative Party fringe event
In October 2005 Crosby addressed a fringe meeting of the Countryside Alliance at the Conservative Party conference.[17]
2008 Boris Johnson's mayoral campaign
In 2008 Crosby orchestrated Boris Johnson's successful election as the Mayor of London.[18]
2010 No to AV campaign
In 2010 Crosby worked with senior Conservative figures on the 'No to AV Campaign'. Other members of the team included Bernard Jenkin and George Eustice, as well as James Frayne, former campaign director of the Taxpayers' Alliance.[19]
Criticism
In late October 2012, just weeks before Crosby's advisory role was made official, the Telegraph's political commentator Peter Oborne wrote that such an appointment "would signal the defeat of everything the PM stands for". [20]
Affiliations
CrosbyTextor | Conservative Party | Boris Johnson
Website
- CrosbyTextor / C|T Group
External resources
- Peter Oborne, Cameron should beware the Australian master strategist, The Telegraph, 27 Oct 2012
Notes
- ↑ P.27, Howard's Way, The Daily Telegraph, 13-September-2003
- ↑ P.27, Howard's Way, The Daily Telegraph, 13-September-2003
- ↑ Nicholas Watt, (John) Howard's way: Tories sign up Australian strategist, The Guardian, 20-October-2004
- ↑ Olga Craig and Melissa Kite, ANALYSIS The Tory mayor signs in with a new image as he prepares to get serious about London, write Olga Craig and Melissa Kite, The Sunday Times, 2-May-2008
- ↑ Andrew Gilligan, Boris Johnson camp worried at low turnout, The Telegraph, 3-May-2012
- ↑ Patrick Wintour, Tory activists call on Australian pollster to help block vote reform: Small group looking to raise £100,000 war chest Adviser worked for Boris Johnson in mayoral race, The Guardian, 22-June-2010
- ↑ Simon Walters, PM's new fixer in racist rant at Muslims: Foul-mouthed abuse by campaign chief revealed as he lands top Tory post, The Mail on Sunday, 17-November-2012
- ↑ Simon Walters, PM's new fixer in racist rant at Muslims: Foul-mouthed abuse by campaign chief revealed as he lands top Tory post, The Mail on Sunday, 17-November-2012
- ↑ P.27, Howard's Way, The Daily Telegraph, 13-September-2003
- ↑ Nicholas Watt, (John) Howard's way: Tories sign up Australian strategist, The Guardian, 20-October-2004
- ↑ Andrew Grice, TORIES HIRE JOHN HOWARD'S RIGHT-HAND MAN, The Independent, 20-October-2004
- ↑ Tom Baldwin and Philip Webster, Senior Tory steps up power struggle, The Times, 15-December-2004
- ↑ Home News, Official sacked over Tory row, The Times, 17-December-2004
- ↑ Lord Saatchi and Lynton Crosby, Tories aim for victory, The Times, 25-January-2005
- ↑ David Charter and Sam Coates, The Price of Spin, The Times, 25-April-2006
- ↑ Andrew Pierce, Targeting strategy is wide of the mark, The Times, 11-August-2005
- ↑ Home News, Conference agenda, The Times, 3-October-2005
- ↑ Olga Craig and Melissa Kite, ANALYSIS The Tory mayor signs in with a new image as he prepares to get serious about London, write Olga Craig and Melissa Kite, The Sunday Times, 2-May-2008
- ↑ Patrick Wintour, Tory activists call on Australian pollster to help block vote reform: Small group looking to raise £100,000 war chest Adviser worked for Boris Johnson in mayoral race, The Guardian, 22-June-2010
- ↑ Peter Oborne, Cameron should beware the Australian master strategist, The Telegraph, 27 Oct 2012, accessed 29 October 2012
