Roger Liddle

Roger John Liddle, Baron Liddle (born 14 June 1947) is a British political adviser and consultant who is principally known for being Special Adviser on European matters to the former Prime Minister Tony Blair, and President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso. He also worked together with Peter Mandelson on books outlining the political philosophy of the Labour Party under Blair's leadership. He is the chair of Progressive Britain, the successor organisation to the international think tank Policy Network and Progress, and was Pro-Chancellor of Lancaster University until 2020.

In December 2021, Liddle was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Lancaster University.

Family Liddle was the son of John Thwaites Liddle and Elizabeth Temple. Born on 14 June 1947 in Carlisle, he attended Carlisle Grammar School. and gained the Wyndham Scholarship at The Queen's College, Oxford, where he gained degrees in Modern History and Management Studies. In 1983 he married the Hon. Caroline Thomson – daughter of Lord Thomson of Monifieth, former Labour Member of Parliament for Dundee East, Cabinet minister and European Commissioner. She was chief operating officer of the BBC, until she was made redundant in 2011 amidst controversy over the selection of a new BBC Director General.

Early career After completing his university studies, Liddle worked in research for the Oxford School of Social and Administrative Studies and as an industrial relations Officer for The Electricity Council. A member of the Labour Party since he was a teenager, in 1976 he moved into politics by becoming Special Adviser to William Rodgers, Secretary of State for Transport,

Following the demise of the SDP in 1988, Liddle followed the majority of its members into the Liberal Democrats, remaining a party member and Lambeth councillor until his announcement in 1995 that he had decided to defect back to Labour, largely because he believed that the party's leadership under Tony Blair offered "the last, best hope for constructive engagement in Europe and realistic acceptance of Britain's only future destiny." He is a visiting fellow of the European Institute at the London School of Economics.

Liddle became a member of the Labour Party-associated Progress strategy board in 2017.

Peerage

It was announced that Liddle would be awarded a peerage in the 2010 Dissolution Honours List. He was created a life peer on 19 June 2010 as Baron Liddle, of Carlisle in the County of Cumbria, and was introduced in the House of Lords on 21 June 2010, supported by Peter Mandelson and Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank.

Political participation Liddle has also played a direct role in elected politics, firstly as a Labour councillor for Headington ward on Oxford City Council (1971–76), In 2013, he was elected to Cumbria County Council for the Wigton Division, remaining in situ until his retirement in 2023. He also unsuccessfully contested two Parliamentary elections for the SDP (Vauxhall at the 1983 general election and Fulham at a by-election in 1986) and one for the Liberal Democrats (North Hertfordshire at the 1992 general election).

Publications Liddle has written four books, all focusing firmly on European issues. Most recently Global Europe, Social Europe with Anthony Giddens and Patrick Diamond. Together with Peter Mandelson he wrote The Blair Revolution: Can New Labour Deliver? in 1996. His thoughts on the future of Europe, made during his time in the Commission, were published in a Fabian Ideas pamphlet in 2005. Challenging the politics of evasion: the only way to renew European social democracy, Policy Network, December 2009, After the crisis: A new socio-economic settlement for the EU, Policy Network, November 2009. Beyond New Labour: the future of social democracy in Britain, Politicos, 2009. Building a low-carbon future: the politics of climate change, Policy Network, June 2007 Social pessimism: the new social reality of Europe, Policy Network, October 2008. Progressive governance 2008: the path to a global progressive consensus, April 2008 Creating a culture of fairness: a progressive response to income inequality in Britain, January 2008 A new social Europe, September 2007 The social reality of Europe, March 2007 Global Europe Social Europe, October 2006 Economic Reform in Europe: Priorities for the next five years, November 2004