Portland PR

This article is part of the Lobbying Portal, a sunlight project from Spinwatch.

Portland is an international PR and lobbying consultancy founded in 2001 by Tim Allan, a former adviser to UK prime minister Tony Blair and director of corporate communications at BSkyB.^[1] It also employs Alastair Campbell, Blair’s former spin doctor.

It has offices in London, New York, Washington DC, Nairobi and Qatar. Its London office is in a side street off Fleet Street.

Lobbying for governments

Portland has lobbied for a number of overseas governments in recent years. These have included the governments of: Russia; Qatar; and Kazakhstan; plus the States of Jersey.

In November 2014 Portland appointed Jonathan McClory as director of its new 'place branding' practice, which aims to help countries and governments to build a stronger global brand. ^[2]

Ties to the UK's education reformers

Portland has numerous lobbying clients that are pushing for reform of education systems that benefit corporate interests. These include, or have recently included:

Google
Apple
Nesta, a UK-based 'innovation charity'
Intellect, now known as TechUK, the IT lobby group in the UK
UKIE, gaming lobby group
Vodafone
Virgin
BT

Thanks to the lack of lobbying transparency rules in the UK, it is not known which areas of policy Portland was helping these clients with. If, however, it was not education policy, it would have been an opportunity lost. Portland was incredibly well connected to the Department for Education under reform-minded education secretary Michael Gove.

Portland’s head of campaigns in the three years to the 2010 UK general election was James Frayne. In early 2011, Gove picked Frayne as his director of communications in an effort to ‘beef up’ his team with some campaigning experience. Gove’s media adviser was another from the lobbying firm. Portland’s alumni also include a then Member of Parliament’s education committee. Since early 2012 Portland has also employed James O’Shaughnessy part-time, the man who has 'staked his career' on Gove succeeding. Finally Portland is advised by Michael Portillo, the inspiration behind the Policy Exchange, which has done much to push the education reform agenda in the UK. As the Policy Exchange's first chair and a committed Portillista, Gove expressed his admiration by writing his biography, Michael Portillo: The Future of the Right. It has long since been remaindered. The ideas, however, live on.

This revolving door between Gove’s office and Portland is not evidence of anything. It is merely a structure, but one that could have obviously facilitated communication between Gove and any corporation looking to reshape schools in its own interest.

Social networks

Portland is rumoured to host monthly dinners between clients and officials, including at the ‘extortionately expensive’ Haymarket Hotel off Trafalgar Square. David Laws, then education minister, was guest, for example, at a dinner with Portland’s ‘clients and friends’.^[3]

People

Tim Allan - founder
Steve Morris
Alexandra Farley - COO
Mark Flanagan - senior partner for content and digital strategy
Toby Orr - founder of Portland’s international team
George Pascoe-Watson
Oliver Pauley - Managing Director of Portland UK. Joined in January 2011 as head of UK public-corporate affairs, after five years with Fleishman-Hillard as Director and Partner in its London Public Affairs team. Has advised global FMCG and financial services brands, and worked across regulated sectors including energy, water and telecoms.^[4]
David Bradshaw - head of the writing practice
Charles McLean - manager of the New York office
David MacKay - US general manager in Washington
Louise Fish - leader of the health practice
Kevin McKeever - head of Portland Local. Labour candidate in the 2010 General Election and will be standing in the 2015 election.^[5]
Ben Thornton - director in Portland’s corporate communications and public affairs team
Ed Perkins, senior adviser from October 2014. Former press secretary to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, press secretary to Prince Harry and deputy-press secretary to The Queen and Head of News.

Revolving door

Most of Portland's directors and staffers have a political background.

Tim Allan - spent six years working for Tony Blair both in opposition and in 10 Downing Street, worked as a media adviser during the 1997 election campaign and deputy press secretary in Number 10.^[6]
In September 2009 Conservative Party heavyweight Michael Portillo joined Portland as the agency set up a new high-level 'advisory council'.^[7] The two other advisory board members are Tony Ball and Sir Chris Powell. ^[8]
Martin Sheehan - Partner, heads Portland's Communications practice. Joined Portland from the Prime Minister’s Office, where he was Head of Strategic Communication. Spent eight years in a range of senior communications roles at No10 under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Former spokesman for Cabinet Ministers including Alistair Darling.
Toby Orr - Partner, founded Portland International Affairs in 2007. Previously a co-founder of Africa Practice, and a former Consultant within Weber Shandwick's International Government Affairs practice. Worked in the 2005 General Election team for Michael Howard, Conservative Party leader. In 2001 was Campaign Aide to Andrew Lansley, Chief Election Strategist. Also worked for Dick Gephardt in US Congress
Steve Morris - Managing partner - former adviser to Tony Blair on European issues (2002-007) and former head of the Downing Street Strategic Communications Unit, and Director of Communications at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ^[9]
Mark Flanagan - Partner for Digital Communications. Previously head of strategic communications at Downing Street working for the Labour and Coalition Governments
George Pascoe-Watson, former Sun political editor, joined in October 2009, in another coup for the agency, further strengthening its Tory credentials.^[10] Was promoted to senior partner for high level engagement in December 2014.^[4]
David Wallace - head of Portland’s writing practice, joined Portland in 2007 after a decade at Downing Street 'where he drafted millions of words for Tony Blair and other senior Government figures'. Before being appointed a special advisor, David was a national newspaper journalist based at Westminster for 15 years.
Sam Sharps - Associate Director - joined Portland from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to lead accounts in the media and technology sectors. Previously worked closely with Jeremy Hunt and Ed Vaizey to develop the Coalition’s ICT programme, as well as building the UK’s business cyber-security strategy. In 2008 co-authored the Digital Britain White Paper. He has also worked in public affairs for Cable & Wireless.
Laura Kyrke-Smith - Account Director on the Government Advisory team, 'plays a lead role in Portland’s reputation management and communications capacity-building work for overseas governments'. Joined Portland from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where she was speech-writer to Ministers of State for Africa Lord Malloch-Brown and Baroness Kinnock. She also worked as a Policy Analyst in the FCO’s Strategy Unit. Previously worked for media think tank Polis and the Foreign Policy Centre.
James O'Shaughnessy, joined Portland in January 2012 as "chief policy adviser", a newly created position. Was David Cameron’s former director of policy between 2007 and 2011, and a key figure in drafting the last Conservative manifesto. A statement issued by Portland said he would “advise clients on the priorities of the coalition and in particular the Conservative party”. ^[11]
Jimmy Leach - Joining in early February 2012 - was previously UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office's head of digital diplomacy. The hiring is part of Portland's to boost its online corporate reputation expertise, targeting international corporates in particular. ^[12]
Kitty Ussher - Former Labour MP from 2005 to 2010 and special adviser to the then Department of Trade and Industry from 2001 to 2004.^[13]

Strategic Counsel

Former Number 10 communications director Alastair Campbell joined Portland as a consultant in May 2012 to 'advise on reputation management and the strategic development of integrated campaigns across media, public affairs and the digital space'. He also works with Portland CEO Tim Allan 'to develop and mentor the agency's staff'. ^[14]
James O'Shaughnessy - chief policy adviser
Kitty Ussher - economic and policy analysis

Advisory Board

Registers

September 2014-November 2014

June 2014-August 2014

March 2014-May 2014

December 2013-February 2014

September 2013-November 2013

June 2013-August 2013

March 2013-May 2013

December 2012-February 2013

Former staff

Henry de Zoete - left Portland to become a special adviser to former education secretary Michael Gove
James Frayne - left Portland to become director of communications at the UK Department for Education until July 2012
Mark Wallace - was senior account manager, joined Portland in 2010 was previously campaign director at the TaxPayers’ Alliance. Now editor of ConservativeHome
Andrew Sholl
Katie Thompson
Lucy Aitkens
Diane Barnes
Diana Jackson
Gregor Poynton, associate director (2014-2015). Is now director of external engagement to the Scottish Labour Party and Labour leader Jim Murphy's election campaign.

Clients

September 2014-November 2014

June 2014-August 2014

March 2014-May 2014

December 2013-February 2014

September 2013-November 2013

June 2013-August 2013

March 2013-May 2013

December 2012-February 2013

Background

Private Eye reported in 2006:

The knives are out for former Downing Street aide Tim Allan... and they are being wielded by Labour MPs. Although Allan left Number Ten in 2000 to pursue a living in PR after six years as Alastair Campbell's deputy, this hardly represented a career change - his influence seems to linger on.

Allan now runs Portland PR whose clients include BSkyB, for whom he briefly worked. Last December he leaked to New Labour's favourite hack Tom Baldwin a tape of Today programme presenter John Humphrys making unflattering comments about various government ministers at a private business seminar. The resulting media furore was a double coup for Allan since it embarrassed Sky's main rival, the Beeb, and created trouble for Humphrys, a long-time thorn in the side of Allan's friends in Downing Street.

But Allan was himself the victim of a leak when, in February, documents advising Sky's head of communications Matthew Anderson on how to ingratiate himself with culture and media minister Tessa Jowell ended up in the papers (see Eye 1155).

Allan is also a close friend of pensions minister James Purnell - they were flatmates and Purnell was best man at Allan's wedding - who was identified in April as the man behind a story in the Guardian accusing Gordon Brown of trying to oust Tony Blair from power.

Now Labour backbenchers have started asking awkward questions about how far Allan's schmoozing of Whitehall really goes. In the last month, no fewer than nine questions have been tabled asking ministers 'what meetings officials in the [their] department have had with representatives of the public relations company Portland PR; what contracts Portland PR has with his Department and agencies for which he has responsibility; and what the nature of the contract is in each case'.

Most of the responses give nothing away ('The departments for which I am responsible do not maintain central lists of such meetings. Civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and business delivery'), although leader of the House Jack Straw admits that two special advisers working for his predecessor Geoff Hoon had attended 'a summer garden party on 13 July 2005 hosted by Portland PR'.

What makes this development interesting is the identity of those tabling the questions, most of whom could never be bracketed in the 'awkward squad'. Leading the charge are key Gordon Brown allies Doug Henderson and Nick Brown. It was the latter who asked the prime minister, no less, what dealings his office had had with Portland.

An answer from Number Ten is still awaited. Allan's company has also been singled out in a Commons motion put down by former government whip Fraser Kemp, deploring Portland's role in preparing propaganda leaflets for Asda in a bid to persuade its workers to sign away their union negotiating rights. A tribunal fined the supermarket giant £850,000 for its actions, describing the leaflets as 'very hostile to trade unions, and highly disparaging of the process of collective bargaining'.^[24]

Relationship with the Bahraini government

According to a posting on the website of the Bahraini government’s Tender Board, Portland Communications made a bid of 25.7 million US dollars to win a new PR contract.^[25] Advocacy group Bahrain Watch called the bidding PR companies not to play a role in the Bahraini government's attempt to whitewash its image amidst its repression of pro-democracy protesters. ^[26]

Work in Africa

In 2006, Portland began work with the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, which looks at leadership and governance in Africa and was set up by, telecommunications billionaire, Mo Ibrahim. Robert Watkinson was hired by Portland to coordinate the launch of the Foundation, lead Portland's philanthropic work and oversee the Portland Africa Network.

Portland also works with former UN secretary general Kofi Annan.^[27]

Resources

Rebecca Seales, Lobby firm tries to get ‘wife beater’ nickname for Stella wiped off Wikipedia entry for beer, 4 January 2011.

Contact

Address: 1 Red Lion Court, London EC4A 3EB

Website: http://www.portland-communications.com/

Twitter: @PortlandComms

Notes

↑ About Portland, Portland PR website, accessed 11 Nov 2009
↑ Anna Reynolds Portland launches place branding practice under Jonathan McClory PR Week, 17 November 2014, accessed 5 December 2014
↑ Cave & Rowell, A Quiet Word: Lobbying, Crony Capitalism, and Broken Politics in Britain (page 67), Bodley Head, 2014
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Allan plots Portland shake-up Public Affairs News, 17 December 2014, accessed 18 December 2014
↑ Ian Griggs and Micah Sulit The eight public affairs professionals standing to become MPs PR Week, 16 April 2015, accessed 16 April 2015.
↑ Tim Allan Portland Communications, accessed 16 January 2015
↑ David Singleton, Portland signs up Conservative Party heavyweight Michael Portillo, PR Week, 24 September 2009
↑ Advisory Board, acc 14 December 2011
↑ Steve Morris, Portland website, acc 14 December 2011
↑ Kate Magee, The Sun's political editor George Pascoe-Watson to join Portland PR, PR Week, 16 October 2009
↑ George Parker, Lobbying group hires former adviser to Cameron, Financial Times, 8 January 2011
↑ Matt Cartmell, Portland nabs Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Jimmy Leach, prweek.com, 17 January 2012, acc 23 January 2012
↑ Kitty Ussher Portland Communications, accessed 16 January 2015
↑ Community News Alastair Campbell joins Portland, Gorkana Group news, 23 May 2012
↑ ^15.0 ^15.1 Register 1st September 2014 - 30th November 2014 APPC, accessed 16 January 2015
↑ ^16.0 ^16.1 Register 1st June 2014 - 31st August 2014 APPC, accessed 17 October 2014
↑ ^17.0 ^17.1 APPC Register for 1st March 2014 - 31st May 2014, accessed September 2014 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "MP" defined multiple times with different content
↑ ^18.0 ^18.1 Register for 1st December 2013 - 28th February 2014 APPC, accessed 30 September 2014
↑ ^19.0 ^19.1 Register for 1st September 2013 - 30th November 2013 APPC, 30 September 2014
↑ ^20.0 ^20.1 Register for 1st June 2013 - 31st August 2013 APPC, accessed 30 September 2-14
↑ ^21.0 ^21.1 Register for 1st March 2013 - 31st May 2013 APPC, accessed 30 September 2014
↑ ^22.0 ^22.1 Consultancies – December 2012 to February 2013 PRCA, accessed 30 September 2014
↑ APPC Register Entry for 1 Jun 2011 to 31 Aug 2011
↑ Portland Stoned Private Eye, 9 June - 22 June 2006, No 1160
↑ [1], accessed 18 November 2012.
↑ [2],"Western PR Firms Compete for Fresh Multi-Million Dollar Contract with Bahrain Govt", accessed 18 November 2013.
↑ Portland Communications, Robert Watkinson, accessed 9 February 2015

Back to Lobbying Portal

[1] About Portland, Portland PR website, accessed 11 Nov 2009

[2] Anna Reynolds Portland launches place branding practice under Jonathan McClory PR Week, 17 November 2014, accessed 5 December 2014

[3] Cave & Rowell, A Quiet Word: Lobbying, Crony Capitalism, and Broken Politics in Britain (page 67), Bodley Head, 2014

[PRS-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Allan plots Portland shake-up Public Affairs News, 17 December 2014, accessed 18 December 2014

[5] Ian Griggs and Micah Sulit The eight public affairs professionals standing to become MPs PR Week, 16 April 2015, accessed 16 April 2015.

[6] Tim Allan Portland Communications, accessed 16 January 2015

[7] David Singleton, Portland signs up Conservative Party heavyweight Michael Portillo, PR Week, 24 September 2009

[8] Advisory Board, acc 14 December 2011

[9] Steve Morris, Portland website, acc 14 December 2011

[10] Kate Magee, The Sun's political editor George Pascoe-Watson to join Portland PR, PR Week, 16 October 2009

[11] George Parker, Lobbying group hires former adviser to Cameron, Financial Times, 8 January 2011

[12] Matt Cartmell, Portland nabs Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Jimmy Leach, prweek.com, 17 January 2012, acc 23 January 2012

[13] Kitty Ussher Portland Communications, accessed 16 January 2015

[14] Community News Alastair Campbell joins Portland, Gorkana Group news, 23 May 2012

[sept-15] 15.0 ^15.1 Register 1st September 2014 - 30th November 2014 APPC, accessed 16 January 2015

[June-16] 16.0 ^16.1 Register 1st June 2014 - 31st August 2014 APPC, accessed 17 October 2014

[MP-17] 17.0 ^17.1 APPC Register for 1st March 2014 - 31st May 2014, accessed September 2014 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "MP" defined multiple times with different content

[MR-18] 18.0 ^18.1 Register for 1st December 2013 - 28th February 2014 APPC, accessed 30 September 2014

[MS-19] 19.0 ^19.1 Register for 1st September 2013 - 30th November 2013 APPC, 30 September 2014

[MT-20] 20.0 ^20.1 Register for 1st June 2013 - 31st August 2013 APPC, accessed 30 September 2-14

[MU-21] 21.0 ^21.1 Register for 1st March 2013 - 31st May 2013 APPC, accessed 30 September 2014

[MV-22] 22.0 ^22.1 Consultancies – December 2012 to February 2013 PRCA, accessed 30 September 2014

[23] APPC Register Entry for 1 Jun 2011 to 31 Aug 2011

[24] Portland Stoned Private Eye, 9 June - 22 June 2006, No 1160

[25] [1], accessed 18 November 2012.

[26] [2],"Western PR Firms Compete for Fresh Multi-Million Dollar Contract with Bahrain Govt", accessed 18 November 2013.

[27] Portland Communications, Robert Watkinson, accessed 9 February 2015

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Portland PR

Contents

Lobbying for governments

Ties to the UK's education reformers

Social networks

People

Revolving door

Strategic Counsel

Advisory Board

Registers

September 2014-November 2014

June 2014-August 2014

March 2014-May 2014

December 2013-February 2014

September 2013-November 2013

June 2013-August 2013

March 2013-May 2013

December 2012-February 2013

Former staff

Clients

September 2014-November 2014

June 2014-August 2014

March 2014-May 2014

December 2013-February 2014

September 2013-November 2013

June 2013-August 2013

March 2013-May 2013

December 2012-February 2013

Background

Relationship with the Bahraini government

Work in Africa

Resources

Contact

Notes

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