Andrew Adonis

Andrew Adonis (Lord Adonis) is a former Lib Dem parliamentary candidate (and local councillor from 1987-91) and former journalist with the Financial Times and the Observer. He is the Education and Constitution policy adviser at No.10. He lives in Islington, north London, and was one of the Governors of the troubled George Orwell School which changed its name and appointed a disastrous short-lived 'superhead'.

He is opposed to the elitism of the 'Oxbridge' universities, although he himself studied History and Philosophy at Oxford University. He persuaded Tony Blair to bring in performance-related pay for teachers. He has more control of education policy in the Government than Ministers. He has written a book, A Class Act, which calls for selection in schools. He wants the top universities to be allowed to charge extra fees and has openly encouraged their vice-chancellors to press for them.

In 2005 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Adonis, of Camden Town in the London Borough of Camden.

Affiliations

• Remunerated employment as an education consultant for Boston Consulting Group and GEMS Education (international only; no advice to UK clients or government)
• Non-executive Director, Baker Dearing Educational Trust
• Non-executive Director, Edge Foundation (vocational education charity)
• Trustee, Teach First (teacher recruitment charity)