GJW

GJW was a lobbying firm (named after principals Andrew Gifford, Jenny Jeger and Wilf Weeks), which is now owned by Weber Shandwick Worldwide under the name Weber Shandwick GJW Public Affairs. The ultimate owner is Interpublic.

The Edinburgh office was run by Sam McEwan, who now runs McEwan Purvis an Edinburgh based lobby firm.

History

According to founder Wilf Weeks:

In 1980 I set up a lobbying company with Andrew Gifford, who had worked with David Steel during the time of the Lib-Lab Pact. He felt that people hadn’t seen the potential of using the Liberal relationship with Labour to influence policy. We decided there was scope for a firm to advise people on how to work with Parliament and government.

We needed a third arm so we went to speak to Peter Mandelson. He made it clear it wasn’t for him, but he suggested Jenny Jeger, who had been working with Callaghan at Number 10. She was interested, and we formed GJW. We bought a second-hand typewriter from Kenneth Baker, and we worked out of the basement in Andrew’s house. I remember the first day we only had one phone call, and that was from Jeremy Thorpe! Jenny and Andrew had gone to the cinema because they were so depressed at the lack of business.

We gradually expanded and GJW became a very successful company, and a significant leader in the developing profession of government relations. Very sadly, Jenny died just after the 1997 election, although she had left GJW long before that. We sold out to BSMG, the old Charles Barker, in 2000 and they merged with Weber Shandwick in 2002, and I’ve been here ever since..

Sponsoring Labour

GJW sponsored the Labour Party in excess of £5,000 in 1997