Damian McBride

Last updated

Chris Mullin. Decline and Fall: Diaries 2005-2010.</ref> The affair was also part of the reason Alice Mahon resigned form the Labour Party a week later. [18]

Post Downing Street

Following his resignation from Downing Street, McBride applied for the post of Business Liaison Officer at his former school, Finchley Catholic High School, and started work there in July 2009. [19] In 2011, he became head of media at the charity CAFOD. [20]

In 2013, McBride's book, Power Trip: A Decade of Policy, Plots and Spin , was published. [20] McBride offered royalties from the book to CAFOD, but after consulting "the wider Catholic community" CAFOD's trustees and management declined the offer. McBride stated his intention to donate all royalties to "good causes." [21]

Return to Labour

In 2015, he returned to a senior role in the Labour party as Shadow Defence Secretary Emily Thornberry's media adviser. [22]

In September 2017, the political commentator Iain Dale placed McBride at Number 95 on his list of the '100 most influential people on the Left', on the grounds that "McBride more than anyone has helped Emily Thornberry to rise up this chart this year." [23]

After the 2024 election he was appointed special adviser to Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary and wife of his former Treasury colleague Ed Balls, specialising in fraud policy. [24]

Personal life

McBride is a fan of Arsenal and Celtic football clubs. He is also a regular pub quiz competitor. [4] [25]

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References

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  2. "Starmer's special advisers: A complete guide". 29 August 2024.
  3. 1 2 "No 10 official quits over e-mails". BBC News. 11 April 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Kirkup, James (12 April 2009). "Damian McBride, author of the smear emails: profile". London: The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  5. 1 2 "PM's aide known as McPoison". Daily Express. 13 April 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  6. Back From the Brink, 2012, Atlantic Books, page 216
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  11. "Brown sends letters over smears". BBC News. 13 April 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  12. Elliott, Francis (13 April 2009). "Regrets, but no apology from Brown over e-mails sent by Damian McBride". London: Times Online. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
  13. "Tories demand slur e-mail apology". BBC News. 14 April 2009. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
  14. "Brown 'sorry' over e-mail slurs". BBC News. 16 April 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2009.
  15. Hinsliff, Gaby (26 April 2009). "Tory MP Nadine Dorries to sue over Damian McBride 'smear' emails". The Observer. London. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  16. "MP Dorries 'to sue over smears'". BBC News. 7 September 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  17. 1 2 Booth, Jenny (20 July 2009). "Former No 10 aide Damian McBride breaks silence on smear scandal". London: Times Online. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  18. Henry, Robin (18 April 2009). "Alice Mahon quits Labour over e mail smears". The Times. Retrieved 28 September 2017.(subscription required)
  19. Robinson, James (20 July 2009). "Damian McBride in his own words". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  20. 1 2 "Damian McBride reveals smears against Brown's rivals". BBC News. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  21. Meikle, James; "Cafod rejects McBride memoir royalties", The Guardian, 3 October 2013
  22. "Damian McBride Is Back, HuffPost Can Reveal". HuffPost UK. 19 February 2016.
  23. Dale, Iain (25 September 2017). "The 100 Most Influential People On The Left: Iain Dale's 2017 List". LBC. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  24. "Starmer's special advisers: A complete guide". 29 August 2024.
  25. Watt, Nicholas (13 April 2009). "Damian McBride's departure marks the end of a bumpy Whitehall career". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
Damian McBride
Downing Street Press Secretary
In office
2007–2009
Government offices
Preceded by
Tom Kelly
Downing Street Press Secretary
2007–2009
Succeeded by