Cathy McGlynn
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This article is part of the Revolving Door project of Spinwatch. |
Cathy McGlynn is a former special adviser in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) who went on to work as a lobbyist for Bell Pottinger Public Affairs, GPC and the PPP Forum.[1]
Contents
Background
McGlynn worked as a special adviser to Labour MP Jack Cunningham for six years, during his time in Opposition and Government.[2]
Bell Pottinger Public Affairs
McGlynn joined lobbying firm Bell Pottinger Public Affairs (BPPA) in October 1999.[3] The same year, it emerged that Bell Pottinger Public Affairs (BPPA), the lobbying firm employed by Monsanto (the company behind genetically modified crops), had been paying thousands of pounds to Conservative MP Peter Luff, the Tory chairman of the Agriculture Select Committee responsible for policing Government food policy. BPPA also stated that that it could exploit the contacts of McGlynn - "who previously worked with Jack Cunningham, as his special adviser, when he was Agriculture Minister".[4]
GPC
In June 2000, McGlynn left Bell Pottinger to join rival lobbying firm GPC.[5] She left GPC in March 2001.[6]
Public Private Partnership Forum
McGlynn went on to work for the Public Private Partnership Forum (PPP Forum),[7] "the private sector industry body for the PPP/PFI industry" established in 2001.[8] In August 2001, PPP Forum "launched a fresh public affairs offensive". The forum terminated GPC's involvement "as a number of GPC staff on the account, including Joy Johnson and Cathy McGlynn, have left the agency since it was taken on".[9] With GPC out of the frame, the Forum hired Bell Pottinger Public Affairs (BPPA); a move criticised by the union GMB who criticised former Tory spindoctor and BPPA leader Tim Bell for "returning for a second bite" of public services. BPPA Managing Director Peter Bingle stated that his company had not been hired to advise PPP Forum members on how to lobby ministers, arguing instead that:
- Our job is to provide full agency support by looking at their [the PPP Forum's] web site, refurbishing it, giving them advice in terms of their contact with their target audience, political monitoring and how to handle the media.
Speaking on behalf of the PPP Forum, McGlynn added that:
- Tim Bell isn't involved – he wasn't at the pitch. We didn't hire Tim Bell. He is not an active member of the account... The forum has very good public sector relationships, which are working very well. We want to ensure public-private partnerships are in future driven forward to the satisfaction of public and private sectors.[10]
McGlynn is also policy consultant to the British Horse Industry Confederation.[11]
Contact, Resources, Notes
Notes
- ↑ Info-Dynamics Research, "Where are they now? The 1997/1998 Special Advisers to the Labour Government", GMB: April 2006 Briefing, p7, accessed 12.09.10
- ↑ Info-Dynamics Research, "Where are they now? The 1997/1998 Special Advisers to the Labour Government", GMB: April 2006 Briefing, p7, accessed 12.09.10
- ↑ Info-Dynamics Research, "Where are they now? The 1997/1998 Special Advisers to the Labour Government", GMB: April 2006 Briefing, p7, accessed 12.09.10
- ↑ Antony Barnett, "Monsanto's lobby firm pays key MP", The Guardian, 04.07.99, accessed 20.09.10
- ↑ Holly Williams, "GPC appoints McGlynn from rival Bell Pottinger", 23.06.01, accessed 20.09.10
- ↑ Gidon Freeman, "GPC downsizing gathers speed as more staff quit", PR Week UK, 16.03.01, accessed 20.09.10
- ↑ Matt Weaver, "Scrutiny powers target public-private partnerships", The Guardian, 14.03.02, accessed 20.09.10
- ↑ PPP Forum, "Home", accessed 20.09.10
- ↑ Joe Lepper, "PPP companies move to step up lobbying efforts", PR Week UK, 03.08.01, accessed 20.09.10
- ↑ Nigel Morris, "Former Tory spin doctor's firm wins PPP contract", The Independent, 23.08.01, accessed 20.09.10
- ↑ British Horse Industry Confederation, "Horse Organisations set up communications network", accessed 20.09.10
