Charles Lewington

This article is part of the Spinwatch public health oriented Alcohol Portal project.

Charles Lewington is founder and MD of Hanover a leading PR consultancy. Formerly Press Secretary to John Major in the 1990s and Executive Editor of the Sunday Express Lewington founded the company in 1998. In September 2007 Hanover were recruited by Gerry and Kate McCann after former treasury special advisor Justine McGuinness became overwhelmed by press interest in the McCann's case. The McCanns had previously used Bell Pottinger's consultant Alex Woolfall and Sheree Dodd, a former spokeswoman for the Government to assist them in handling the media. On Hanover's involvement with the McCanns Lewington said "The McCanns have been treated extremely badly by the press, it's only right to help them out." . However, two months later Hanover ended their work with the family which they said "‘reflects a decrease in international press interest’ following the six-month anniversary of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance" The firm does PR for Diageo UK.

Lewington on New Labour

Alistair Campbell was a thug but it was his job. I think the problem for New Labour was that there was a culture of spin throughout the Party, which meant they were never good at managing expectations. For example, they gave the impression that they could solve the problems of the National Health Service overnight but life doesn’t work like that.

Career Time-line

• 1981 Reporter, The Bath Chronicle
• 1988 News Editor, Western Daily Press
• 1990 Political Correspondent, Daily Express
• 1993 Political Editor, Sunday Express
• 1994 Executive Editor, Sunday Express
• 1995 Press Secretary to Prime Minister John Major
• 1998 Founded Media Strategy
• 2007 Media Strategy re-branded as Hanover