As soon as you think you've got 'em nailed down - another wave come over the hill!
Today - two top Beeboids who leapt enthusiastically onto the New Labour bandwagon, but sadly came unstuck.
Martin Sixsmith - BBC Foreign Correspondent 1980 - 1997
Martin Sixsmith joined the BBC in 1980 and worked as a a foreign correspondent in Brussels, Geneva, Moscow and Washington.
Following the 1997 election he left the BBC to work for the Labour government as Director of Communications.
He described his enthusiasm for his new job, when he later told the Independent :- "It was May 1997, it was a new start after 18 years of Tory misrule.....".
He was later Press Secretary to Labour Ministers Harriet Harman and Alistair Darling.
After a brief period in the private sector, he returned to the government in 2001 as Director of Communications for the Department of Transport but left after an acrimonious dispute over ethical issues. He said - "Over the 10 years since 1997 there has been this chipping away at the confidence of the civil service, and I don't think it's the impartial, honest organisation it used to be....."
He is now once more a regular broadcaster for the BBC.
Joy Johnson - BBC Political News Editor 1992 - 1995
Joy Johnson was a BBC political journalist and became Political News Editor in 1992 at the Millbank centre.
Polly Toynbee said of her "...feeding the many bulletins' limitless appetite for soundbites - 20 seconds and not a nanosecond more. It's a tough skill and she was the best".
In 1995 she was recruited by Gordon Brown to join New Labour as Campaigns Director, responsible for winning Labour's 80 target seats.
She fell victim to Blair/Brown tribal warfare and left acrimoniously in 1996.
She is now chief spin doctor for "Red Ken" Livingstone at the GLA.
Keep watching this space for many more to come and, by the way, many thanks to those of you who've nominated your own Socialist Heroes - especially those within the bowels of the beast at the BBC.
3 comments:
I think your site is very interesting. Here are some more for your collection
Sue Nye
Wife of Gavyn Davies, and is(was?) Gordon Brown's political secretary.
Sarah Hunter
Held the broadcasting brief at No 10. She formerly worked in the BBC's policy directorate and is also a veteran of the Channel 4 policy department. God-daughter of former lord chancellor Derry Irvine.
Katie Kay
Lord Birt’s former diary secretary, worked for Mr Blair.
Ben Bradshaw
Labour MP and Former Environment minister, is a former BBC Radio 4 reporter.
Charlie Whelan
Was for years a key Labour activist and news manager and spinner for Gordon Brown. He now acts as a commentator and political journalist for Radio Five, and reported on the Conservative Spring Conference 2003 for Radio Five Live. How can he be impartial?
Andrew Marr
Has his own politics show on BBC TV. Is a former editor and chief political commentator of the Independent. His wife is Jackie Ashley, the Guardian political columnist, former BBC employee and huge thoughtless cheerleader for Gordon Brown
Thanks for the tips - especially Sarah Hunter and Katy Kay.
They will be dealt with shortly!
We covered Gavyn Davies, Sue Nye, Ben Bradshaw, Andie Marr and Jackie Ashley in our earlier "Happy Lefty Beeboid Family Cardgame" series before Christmas.
Click on "earlier posts" to have a look at them.
All good stuff!
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