Policy aide or spin doctor? Labour’s advisor is on track for £45,000 salary
New political post for Islington that Lib Dems and Labour in Camden have rejected
Published: 3 September, 2010
by RÓISÍN GADELRAB and RICHARD OSLEY
THE Town Hall is ready to hike the salary of a council official who works exclusively to help the Labour Party.
Under budget changes, the council leader’s policy assistant Graham Copp stands to jump four grades, with the potential to earn up to £45,807.
It is not unusual for a local authority to pay aides working for political parties. The Liberal Democrats had similar paid help when they were in charge of the council. But elsewhere the idea of public money being used to pay for political work has been dismissed as too explosive, especially in a climate of cuts.
In Camden, just over the borough boundary, Labour and the Lib Dems have resisted the temptation to create such posts.
Both groups considered the idea but believed it would not play well with the public. Some Lib Dems in Camden thought it would have been useful when they were brokering a coalition deal locally with the Conservatives four years ago and helpful when working in a two-party power pact. There were differences of opinion over whether the Lib Dems secured the best possible deal in return for being the largest party on the council.
In Islington, Mr Copp’s role has been described by rivals as a spin doctor in the mould of Malcolm Tucker, from television’s The Thick of It, although this is disputed by Labour.
Mr Copp will operate beyond the council press office’s remit to ensure Labour’s work is portrayed in the best possible light. He is supposed to provide a clear line of communication between politicians and the unelected council officials paid to carry out their policies.
Under changes agreed last month, his job will attract a higher salary, bouncing from a pay scheme attracting up to £35,055 to one up to £45,807. New council guidelines recommend only “exceptional” staff should jump two pay grades.
Opposition Lib Dem leader Councillor Terry Stacy said: “We see what Labour’s priorities are – highly-paid spin doctors who will be among the highest-paid political support officers in the country.
“They have just nodded through £7million cuts mostly affecting children and tenants. They are also laying off council staff. Yet behind the scenes Labour are hiring more spin doctors and have agreed a massive pay hike for one. Most local government workers are facing a pay freeze. This is an insult to the rest of the council’s staff.”
He added: “Nobody has a problem with giving support to councillors who often have full-time jobs and families on top of their councillor duties. But these increases, at a time when the rest of the council is facing cuts and the sack, are obscene and totally insensitive.”
Until last year’s budget, each party had three researchers, one of which – the group office head – can speak to the press and send out slanted press releases.
At last year’s budget, Labour axed one post from each party, bringing the total down to four. But under new proposals, the Lib Dems will be left with just their group office head, Niko Baar, while Labour will retain two researchers and new leader Catherine West’s policy assistant. The shake-up is guided by how many seats each party holds on the council. There are 13 Lib Dem councillors and 35 for Labour.
Mr Copp’s new position is said to “provide policy support to the leader and ensure close links are formed and maintained between the leader and council officers, particularly with regard to the policy function”.
The report continues: “The postholder will prepare speculative policy papers which can generate long-term thinking and contribute to the strategic thinking of the council.”
A council spokeswoman said: “With Labour holding nearly three quarter of the seats on the council it is proposed to change the staff structure to reflect the administration’s need for a greater share of the available support.
“Proposals were made to delete the existing research officer post in the Liberal Democrat group office and create a similar post in the Labour group. At the same time, to reflect a need within the ruling group for greater policy support to the leader and to ensure close links are formed and maintained between the leader and the council officers, it was proposed to delete the current head of Labour group office post and replace this with a new post of leader’s policy assistant.”
She added: “Islington’s consultation on the proposed changes ended on July 30. No comments were received other than a procedural question and the proposals were confirmed on August 2.”