Deborah Mattinson appointed Labour head of strategy

Mattinson conducted focus groups for Labour during the 1980s and 90s and worked closely with Gordon Brown as he prepared to become prime minister. She is the author of ‘Beyond the Red Wall’, a book examining Labour’s 2019 election failures.

She co-founded BritainThinks with Viki Cooke and Ben Shimson in 2010 and was recently named an honorary fellow of the Market Research Society.

Labour leader Keir Starmer has reshuffled the party’s leadership following disappointing results in local elections on Thursday 6^th May. The party lost its Hartlepool seat and several local councils to the Conservatives.

Mattinson said: “I am very excited to be joining Keir Starmer and his team. The months ahead will be challenging but I am looking forward to playing a part in helping Labour reconnect with the voters it has lost.”

Mattinson will leave BritainThinks in June and takes up the role with Labour in July.

She added: “I am incredibly proud of everything we have achieved at BritainThinks and leave the business in the very capable hands of Ben, Viki and the brilliant team.”