Geoffrey Norris

This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

Geoffrey Norris was seen as one of the most crucial advocates of nuclear power with an ear to former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. He was Blair's special adviser on energy and industry and has an association with Labour that goes back to the 1980s.

Norris is a senior adviser at Global Counsel, the 'strategic advisory' firm set up by Peter Mandelson and Benjamin Weg-Prosser in late 2010.

Background

From 1992 to November 1994 he advised Robin Cook, MP as Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary and prior to that he advised Cook on Health policy. He then moved to become Industry Policy adviser to Tony Blair when Blair was still leader of the Opposition.

In May 1997, Norris was appointed Blair's Special Adviser responsible for Trade, Industry, Energy, Employment, and Planning. He has stayed close to Blair ever since.

Closeness to Blair

Even for Blair's special advisers, Norris was considered extremely close to Blair. The closeness rankled John Prescott who when once asked by the BBC about Norris said: "Who's (Geoffrey) Norris? Mr Norris is an official in the department. We sometimes call them teenyboppers. You know what I mean?"

Pro-nuclear

Norris was said to have pressed the nuclear case extremely hard and along with the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King, persuaded Blair to back the need for nuclear.

In March 2005, the Independent on Sunday reported how "Within government, Geoffrey Norris, Tony Blair's special adviser on industry and business, is pressing the nuclear case. It is understood that he was instrumental in the creation of the DTI's Future for Nuclear team." One Whitehall source told the paper: "Norris has fought hard to keep nuclear on the agenda."

Affiliations

• Global Counsel - lobbying firm set up by Peter Mandelson

References

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