Lexington Communications

The view out to High Holborn from the Connection

This article is part of the Foodspin project of Spinwatch.

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

Lexington Communications is a PR and lobbying company based in London.

Campaigns

Pro-biotech

Lexington provides PR and lobbying services to a slew of genetically modified (GM) crop companies: BASF, Syngenta, Novartis, the umbrella group the Agricultural Biotechnology Council (see below), as well as the Crop Protection Association, which represents the interests of the pesticides industry. Lexington also had Monsanto and the Agricultural Biotechnology Council listed among its clients in 2008-09.^[1]

Biotech front groups

In 2003, Lexington was hired by the corporate front group the Agricultural Biotechnology Council (ABC). ABC's founder members are Monsanto, Bayer CropScience, BASF, Dow Agrosciences, Dupont and Syngenta^[2]. At the same time Lexington hired Bernard Marantelli, a PR operative from Monsanto. Part of his job in 2003 was to run a pro-GM PR campaign for the ABC to educate 'regulators, legislators, retailers and consumer groups'. The budget was £250,000, the same amount of money that was originally proposed for the whole national Public Debate on GM in the UK, held in 2003.^[3]

The name of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council also succeeded in creating confusion in the public's mind because of its similarity to the government-appointed Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission.^[4]

In early 2008 it was revealed that GM food companies had lobbied the government department responsible for GM to be allowed to hide the locations of crop trials. Lexington confirmed its involvement in this as part of its work covering “all aspects of external communications” for the ABC.^[5]

Lexington also works for GM industry lobbying group, CropLife International and was working for CropGen, another biotech front organisation which was run by Countrywide Porter Novelli. The Chair of CropGen is Vivian Moses who is also on the advisory board of the Scientific Alliance, another pro-biotech front organisation.^[6]

Pro-nanotech

Bernard Marantelli also convinced about 30 companies to come to a meeting to explore setting up a nanotechnology equivalent of the ABC. The Nanotech Association, which is run out of the same offices as Lexington, was launched in February 2005.^[7]

Working for the developers

Lexington is also involved in lobbying government on behalf of developers and the house-building sector, providing services to, among others, Tesco, Peel Holdings, Wharf Land Investment, Places for People Developments, BeeBee Developments and Gladedale. Lexington is able to provide inside political knowledge of the sector at both a national and local level: Director Jo-Anne Daniels previously spent nine years as a senior civil servant at the Treasury, was an advisor to Gordon Brown, and managed and published the significant Barker Review on housing in 2004.^[8] Also Richard Thomas, who joined in 2008, was previously Cabinet Member for Regeneration on Southwark Council, with political responsibility for one of London’s largest regeneration programmes, the redevelopment of Elephant & Castle. On taking the job, Thomas agreed with Lexington not to work on matters relating to his previous role with Southwark Council. ^[9]

People

Key people

Mike Craven, founding partner
Ian Kennedy, founding partner
Paul Boyfield, group property director
Gabriel Abulafia, director
Jessica Fine, director
Joanne Bullen, director
Simon Jones, associate director: Jones has a unique insight into the Coalition Government as he was the Conservative parliamentary candidate in the marginal seat of Dagenham and Rainham in 2010. He also worked as an adviser to Lord Ashcroft

KCMG. He is also currently an executive board member of an academy school.

Will Sherlock, associate director
Christopher Cuddihy, associate director
Caroline Nagle, associate director
Allona McCloy, associate director
Cath Warren, head of political intelligence
Paul Street

Revolving door

Mike Craven, Craven is a former adviser to the UK's Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, and former chief media spokesperson for the Labour Party. Craven is also a former boss of GPC Market Access. It was accused by transparency campaigners in Brussels Corporate Europe Observatory of waging a 'massive disinformation campaign' over its campaign on patenting genes.^[10]
Ian Kennedy, Kennedy specialises in issues management and lobbying. He is a former Labour party adviser who worked for senior government ministers while Labour was in Opposition. He worked on both the 1992 and the 1997 election campaigns.^[11]
Simon Jones - 'Helps clients develop political strategies and campaigns to inform the policy agenda. He has a unique insight into the Coalition Government having been the Conservative parliamentary candidate in the marginal seat of Dagenham and Rainham in 2010 and working as an adviser to Lord Ashcroft at KPMG. ^[12]
Gabriel Abulafia - prior to joining Lexington, Abulafia was assistant to David Blunkett, Alan Milburn, Stephen Byers and Karen Buck.
Nigel Warner - prior to joining Lexington, Warner was special advisor to former Labour politician, Mo Mowlam, from 2002-2006 Warner was Director at Lexington, in 2006 he became special advisor to Tessa Jowell, in 2008 Warner became Public Affairs Director at ITVplc. Warner is now an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research.

Staff Register

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 and consultants

Owen Bethell - senior consultant. Advised clients with complex communications challenges. Before joining Lexington, Owen worked in public affairs consultancy and in Opposition for Rt. Hon. Oliver Letwin MP, currently Minister of State at the Cabinet Office. ^[19]
Damian Collins, now a Conservative MP
Sarah Doyle, Former director specialising in advising companies based in the health, science and pharmaceutical sectors. Doyle is also a founder of the science think tank Newton's Apple.^[20]
Lisa Tremble, director. She is a former special adviser to Labour ministers Charles Clarke, James Purnell and David Miliband. Joined Lexington in October 2010 ^[21], left in September 2013 to join solicitors Mishcon de Reya as external affairs director.
Nigel Warner, director 2002-2006
Ella Fallows, deputy head of political intelligence June 2012 – July 2014

Clients

March 2014-May 2014

December 2013-February 2014

September 2013-November 2013

June 2013-August 2013

March 2013-May 2013

December 2012-February 2013

Lobbying clients listed in 2012 include

E.ON UK^[22]

Lobbying clients listed in 2011

Contacts

The Connection, 198 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BD
http://www.lexcomm.co.uk

The Connection, view from High Holborn

Lexington is based on the top two floors of The Connection, Dragon Lane, Covent Garden, London, a new 3,500 sq.m. office building located between High Holborn and Stukeley Street, wrapped around the southern flank of the old Holborn Town Hall.^[25]

Resources

Lexington UK Staff and Clients 30.11.03 - 31.05.04
Lexington UK Staff and clients, 1 June 2005 to 30 Nov 2005
^ Lexington website - Mike Craven, undated, accessed March 2006
^ ABC website, undated, accessed March 2006
^ Christian Garnett Partners website - The Connection, undated, accessed March 2006

Articles

^ Andy Rowell, "The alliance of science", The Guardian, March 26, 2003
^ Corporate Watch "Lobby and PR groups go for nano honeypot", October/November 2005
^ Corporate Europe Observatory, "Industry and the EU Life Patent Directive", May 1998

Notes

↑ Lexington Communications, APPC Register Entry for 1 December 2008 to 28 February 2009, accessed 23 Mar 2010
↑ ABC website, undated, accessed March 2006
↑ Andy Rowell, "The alliance of science", The Guardian, March 26, 2003
↑ Andy Rowell, "The alliance of science", The Guardian, March 26, 2003
↑ Lexington linked to biotech body, PR Week, February 21 2008
↑ Andy Rowell, "The alliance of science", The Guardian, March 26, 2003
↑ "Lobby and PR groups go for nano honeypot", Corporate Watch, Newsletter 26, October/November 2005
↑ Lexington website, accessed Nov 2008
↑ Lexington website, accessed Nov 2008
↑ "Industry and the EU Life Patent Directive", Corporate Europe Observatory Newsletter, No. 1, May 1998
↑ Lexington website, accessed Feb 2009
↑ Simon Jones, Lexington Communications website, accessed 4 June 2012
↑ ^13.0 ^13.1 Register for 1st March 2014 - 31st May 2014 APPC, accessed September 2014
↑ ^14.0 ^14.1 Register for 1st December 2013 - 28th February 2014 APPC, accessed 1 October 2014
↑ ^15.0 ^15.1 Register for 1st September 2013 - 30th November 2013 APPC, accessed 1 October 2014
↑ ^16.0 ^16.1 Register for 1st June 2013 - 31st August 2013 APPC, accessed 1 October 2014
↑ ^17.0 ^17.1 Register for 1st March 2013 - 31st May 2013 APPC, accessed 1 October 2014
↑ ^18.0 ^18.1 Register for 1st December 2012 - 28th February 2013 APPC, accessed 1 October 2014
↑ Owen Bethell, Lexington Communications website, accessed 4 June 2012
↑ [www.newtons-apple.org.uk Newton's Apple think tank website], accessed Feb 2009
↑ Matt Cartmell, David Miliband's adviser Lisa Tremble moves to Lexington Communications, PR Week, 7 October 2010, accessed 13 October 2010.
↑ [APPC Register Entry for 1 December 2011 to 29 February 2012], Feb 2012
↑ APPC register, Nov 2011
↑ APPC register, to Nov 2008
↑ Christian Garnett Partners website - The Connection, undated, accessed March 2006

[1] Lexington Communications, APPC Register Entry for 1 December 2008 to 28 February 2009, accessed 23 Mar 2010

[2] ABC website, undated, accessed March 2006

[3] Andy Rowell, "The alliance of science", The Guardian, March 26, 2003

[4] Andy Rowell, "The alliance of science", The Guardian, March 26, 2003

[5] Lexington linked to biotech body, PR Week, February 21 2008

[6] Andy Rowell, "The alliance of science", The Guardian, March 26, 2003

[7] "Lobby and PR groups go for nano honeypot", Corporate Watch, Newsletter 26, October/November 2005

[8] Lexington website, accessed Nov 2008

[9] Lexington website, accessed Nov 2008

[10] "Industry and the EU Life Patent Directive", Corporate Europe Observatory Newsletter, No. 1, May 1998

[11] Lexington website, accessed Feb 2009

[12] Simon Jones, Lexington Communications website, accessed 4 June 2012

[MP-13] 13.0 ^13.1 Register for 1st March 2014 - 31st May 2014 APPC, accessed September 2014

[MR-14] 14.0 ^14.1 Register for 1st December 2013 - 28th February 2014 APPC, accessed 1 October 2014

[MS-15] 15.0 ^15.1 Register for 1st September 2013 - 30th November 2013 APPC, accessed 1 October 2014

[MT-16] 16.0 ^16.1 Register for 1st June 2013 - 31st August 2013 APPC, accessed 1 October 2014

[MU-17] 17.0 ^17.1 Register for 1st March 2013 - 31st May 2013 APPC, accessed 1 October 2014

[MV-18] 18.0 ^18.1 Register for 1st December 2012 - 28th February 2013 APPC, accessed 1 October 2014

[19] Owen Bethell, Lexington Communications website, accessed 4 June 2012

[20] [www.newtons-apple.org.uk Newton's Apple think tank website], accessed Feb 2009

[21] Matt Cartmell, David Miliband's adviser Lisa Tremble moves to Lexington Communications, PR Week, 7 October 2010, accessed 13 October 2010.

[22] [APPC Register Entry for 1 December 2011 to 29 February 2012], Feb 2012

[23] APPC register, Nov 2011

[24] APPC register, to Nov 2008

[25] Christian Garnett Partners website - The Connection, undated, accessed March 2006

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Lexington Communications

Contents

Campaigns

Pro-biotech

Biotech front groups

Pro-nanotech

Working for the developers

People

Key people

Revolving door

Staff Register

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 and consultants

Clients

March 2014-May 2014

December 2013-February 2014

September 2013-November 2013

June 2013-August 2013

March 2013-May 2013

December 2012-February 2013

Lobbying clients listed in 2012 include

Lobbying clients listed in 2011

Contacts

Resources

Articles

Notes

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