Michael Jacobs

Michael Jacobs is a former special adviser for the Labour Party. He worked for Gordon Brown from 2004 until 2010. Jacobs is described as an economist and political scientist

After leaving government in 2010 Michael became an academic and consultant. He is currently visiting professor in the Department of Political Science / School of Public Policy at University College London, in the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics. Jacobs was consultant adviser to the Children's Investment Fund Foundation from 2010-13, working on European and international climate and energy policy. But is now senior adviser on International Climate Change Policy at IDDRI (l’Institut du Développement Durable et des Relations Internationales) in Paris, working on preparations for the UN climate conference in Paris in 2015.

History

Jacobs first role in Government came in 1997, just after the formation of the new Labour Government, when he became general secretary of the Fabian Society, the UK’s longstanding left of centre think tank and political association.

From October 2003 to January 2004 Jacobs was visiting research fellow at the Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University, in Melbourne, Australia, where he did research on public service reform. Following this, he was appointed a member of the Council of Economic Advisers at the UK Treasury, responsible for advising the Chancellor of the Exchequer on environmental, health and public services policy and spending.

When Gordon Brown became Prime Minister in June 2007 Michael moved to 10 Downing Street as a special adviser. At Number 10 he was responsible for the development and coordination of the government’s strategy on international climate change policy and negotiations, and the development, coordination and delivery of domestic energy, climate change, environment and agriculture policy. He also provided personal political and strategy advice and speech writing for the Prime Minister.