Timothy Bell, Baron Bell
| Timothy Bell, Baron Bell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 October 1941 |
| Nationality | British |
| Other names | Timothy John Leigh Bell, Baron Bell |
| Occupation | Advertising and public relations executive |
| Known for | Campaign work for Margaret Thatcher[1] |
Timothy John Leigh Bell, Baron Bell (born 18 October 1941) is a British advertising and public relations executive, best known for his advisory role in Margaret Thatcher's three successful general election campaigns.
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[edit] Early life, education and career
Timothy John Leigh Bell was born to Greata Mary Findlay and Arthur Leigh Bell on 18 October 1941.[2] He was educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Barnet. He worked in various advertising/PR firms in the late 60s including the hip London agency Geers Gross, 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 left to start his own agency, Lowe Bell Communications, in 1987, and became Chairman of Chime Communications in 1994 (which includes the Bell Pottinger Group).
[edit] Thatcher years
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 worked on media relations and helped set the terms of the negotiations and course of government policy.
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.
[edit] Indecency Conviction
Bell was convicted for indecency, masturbating at his bathroom window in sight of passers-by.[3][4][5][6]
[edit] International work
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 a photograph showing a hairless Litvinenko in his hospital bed. The PR Agency also offered advice to relatives of Litvinenko and his spokesman Alex Goldfarb.[7]
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.[8]
Lord Bell has also performed public relations work for the authoritarian government of Belarus,[9] and for the Pinochet Foundation (Fundación Pinochet).
[edit] Sources
- Hollingsworth, Mark (1997). The Ultimate spin doctor: the life and fast times of Tim Bell..
- Lord Bell can be heard talking to Brendan Bruce (former Director of Communications of the Conservative Party) for his book Images of Power (Kogan Page 1992) at the British Library Sound Archive[10]
[edit] References
- ^ Field, Michele (January 24, 1986). "Tim Bell Love Newspapers, Gorillas and Maggie T". The Age. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kswzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=U5UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2059,4927186&dq=tim-bell&hl=en.
- ^ "Timothy John Leigh Bell, Baron Bell". thePeerage.com. http://thepeerage.com/p13721.htm. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ Norman, Matthew (16th February 2001) The Guardian "Diary" Retrieved 8th December
- ^ Norman, Matthew (16th October 2010) The Independent "Welcome Home, Lord Mandy" Retrieved 8th December 2011
- ^ Norman, Matthew (7th December 2011) The Independent "Matthew Norman: Do unethical lobbyists feel any pain at the dirty, seedy role they play in politics?" Retrieved 20th December 2011
- ^ Robinson, Stephen (8th December 2011) London Evening Standard "'Of course I regret it, I need it like a hole in the head, all this s**t'" (Retrieved 20th December 2011)
- ^ "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 27 November 2006.
- ^ 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 16 December 2006.
- ^ No breakthrough in Belarus The Economist, 2 October 2008
- ^ Sound Archive Catalogue British Library
[edit] External links
- Lukashenko's PR man sheds light on EU campaign EU Observer, 10 October 2008
- Can Lord Bell’s PR skills combat the aroma of communism and cabbage? Minsk.by, 28 May 2008
- How to sell democracy to Iraqis: bring in Lord Bell The Independent, 13 March 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
