Andy Burnham has hired a former director of leftist campaigning outfit Hope Not Hate as his new head of political strategy in No10, according to Sam Coates. Buckle up…
Matthew McGregor was Director of Campaigns & Communications for Hope Not Hate from January 2018 to October 2021, after which he was appointed CEO of activist organisation 38 Degrees. He remained a listed Director for Hope Not Hate until 29 April 2022. Team Burnham is trying to ignore this and stress McGregor’s experience in the Obama campaign, which is far more limited…
The line briefed out to hacks for copy-and-pasting was: “He is currently CEO of 38 Degrees and has worked on elections in the U.K. and overseas, including Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign.” He had a stint of one year and three months as Digital Rapid Response director for the Obama campaign in 2011/12…
Burnham has also hired Jacinda Ardern’s old campaign director Hayden Munro as political director. Leading some Labour sources to worry about how well-connected these senior hires are to the party family…
Hope Not Hate is currently the subject of a complaint to the Electoral Commission from Nigel Farage over its charitable arm’s leafleting activities during the Makerfield by-election. Reform say that amounted to a pro-Burnham campaign dressed up as anti-extremism work. HNH is closely intertwined with Labour – it’s a revolving door…
