Timothy Bell, Baron Bell
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Timothy John Leigh Bell, Baron Bell (born 18 October 1941) is an advertising and public relations executive in the United Kingdom, best known for his advisory role in Margaret Thatcher's three successful general election campaigns.
Lord Bell worked in various advertising/PR firms before helping to found and becoming Managing Director of Saatchi and Saatchi in 1970 (later serving as chairman and managing director of Saatchi and Saatchi Compton from 1975). He eventually would leave to start his own agency, Lowe Bell Communications, in 1987, and became Chairman of Chime Communications in 1994 (which includes the Bell Pottinger Group).
While at Saatchi and Saatchi and later his own agency, Bell was instrumental in the Conservative general election campaign victories of Margaret Thatcher. In her first 1979 victory, he advised the future Prime Minister on interview techniques, clothing, and even hairstyle choices. He also courted newspaper editors and worked on devastating attacks on the Labour Party.
In 1984 Bell was seconded to the National Coal Board to advise on media strategy at the start of the miners' strike. He did not just work on media relations, however: he also helped set the terms of the negotiations and course of government policy, sensing the Conservatives' strong support on this issue with the public.
Bell was knighted in 1990 by Margaret Thatcher and made a Life Peer by Tony Blair as Baron Bell, of Belgravia in 1998. He is now often seen on panels and current affairs programmes discussing the issues of the day, and is Chairman of the Conservative Party's Keep the £ Campaign. He has also served on various arts and public administration bodies.
During the 1997 general election campaign a book was serialised in The Observer newspaper claiming Bell had used cocaine in the 1970s.[citation needed]
Tim Bell has recently been an advisor to the Iraqi government on the "promotion of democracy".
Lord Bell, a friend of Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, handled the media attention behind poisoned Russian ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko, who died in hospital 23 November 2006. The Bell Pottinger Communications agency distributed the famous photograph showing a hairless Litvinenko in his hospital bed. The PR Agency also offered advice to relatives of Mr Litvinenko and his spokesman Alex Goldfarb.[1]
In December 2006 Lord Bell successfully lobbied on behalf of the Saudi government to discontinue the Serious Fraud Office investigation into alleged bribes in the Al Yamamah arms deal.[2]
Lord Bell has also performed PR work for the authoritarian government in Belarus.[3]
[edit] Sources
- Hollingsworth, Mark (1997). The Ultimate spin doctor: the life and fast times of Tim Bell..
[edit] References
- ^ "Berezovsky link draws Lord Bell into action". Financial Times. 24 November 2006. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/a8cc1da4-7bf7-11db-b1c6-0000779e2340.html. Retrieved on 2006-11-27.
- ^ David Leigh; Rob Evans (16 December 2006). "Brutal politics lesson for corruption investigators". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/armstrade/story/0,,1973421,00.html. Retrieved on 2006-12-16.
- ^ http://www.economist.com/agenda/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12342630&fsrc=rss
[edit] External links
- Lukashenko's PR man sheds light on EU campaign, October 10, 2008.
- Can Lord Bell’s PR skills combat the aroma of communism and cabbage?, May 28, 2008.
- How to sell democracy to Iraqis: bring in Lord Bell, The Independent, March 13, 2004.
- Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 14 October 1998
- Parliamentary voting record for Lord Bell
- Belarusian have answered to Lord Bell
