Patrick Diamond

Patrick Diamond (born 1974) came to prominence as an aide to controversial UK politician Peter Mandelson shortly before Mandelson's infamous second resignation from the British Government.

In the past there has been media speculation that Mr Diamond would seek selection as a parliamentary candidate, for example in Hartlepool and Sedgefield. [cite news| title = Mandelson's ex-advisor quits race| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3532350.stm|] However, this speculation has not been realised. The notoriety of his previous employer Peter Mandelson makes it inevitable that some would doubt his electability, especially given the bad publicity that has followed other former Mandelson staff like Derek Draper.

Patrick Diamond is presently the Director of Policy and Strategy for the Equality and Human Rights Commission a post to which he was appointed in August 2007. Before that, he was the director of Policy Network, an organisation that describes itself as an 'international thinktank dedicated to promoting progressive policies and the renewal of social democracy'. He was also a senior visiting fellow at the Centre for the Study of Global Governance at the London School of Economics. Previously to his appointment in mid Summer 2005, he served as a special adviser and member of Prime Minister Tony Blair's policy unit from 2001.

From 2000 to 2001, he was a special advisor to then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Mandelson. Prior to entering British politics, Diamond worked in London as a fellow of the Institute for Public Policy Research. Diamond has contributed to European dailies like "The Guardian". He is co-author with Anthony Giddens of "The New Egalitarianism" (Polity, 2005) and also edited "New Labour's Old Roots" (Polity, 2004), a study of the revisionist social democratic tradition within the Labour Party.

In the Lambeth Council election, 2002 Patrick Diamond failed to win a seat on Lambeth Council.

In 2001 Mr Diamond was reported in the left leaning newspaper The Guardian as having to put a bid for election to local government on hold when his eligibility was questioned because of allegations of unpaid council tax. [cite news| title = Conference diary| url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2001/oct/02/uk.labourconference2|] The allegations were later resolved when the local authority corrected an 'administrative error' and Mr Diamond was able to continue his bid for election.

Patrick Diamond was Chair of Labour Students in 1998. Mr Diamond has expressed frustration at the speed and pace of change during the New Labour era, for example in a 2006 Sky News Interview with Adam Boulton [cite news| title = Sky News transcript of Adam Boulton Interview with Patrick Diamond| url =http://www.skynewstranscripts.co.uk/transcript.asp?id=174|]

Publications

Bridging the Divide - (Co-author) - April 2008.

Public Matters: The Renewal of the Public Realm (Editor and contributor) - July 2007.

Global Europe Social Europe (Editor) - October 2006.

Conundrums of Reform: efficiency, public virtue and the delivery of world-class public services - June 2006.

New Labour's Old Roots. Revisionist Thinkers in Labour's History 1931-1997 (Editor) - September 2004

References