Liberal Democrats appoint Jonathan Oates as new director of policy and communications

5.15.00pm GMT Tue 6th Feb 2007

Top public relations consultant and former Deputy Leader of Kingston Council Jonathan Oates (37) has been appointed by the Liberal Democrats as their new Director of Policy and Communications. He is due to start in March after leaving his current role as a Director at Bell Pottinger. The post he has been appointed to bring together all the Party's media, policy and research staff in a unified structure and is a further step in the modernisation of the Party's communication and campaigning capability which has been underway since Menzies Campbell became Party Leader.

Oates has extensive experience in the fields of media and political campaigning. He has worked with Mark Bolland, former media adviser to the Prince of Wales, and spent two years working in the South Africa Parliament advising the then Home Affairs Minister, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi and other Cabinet Ministers in the South African government as part of a democracy development project sponsored by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

A former Deputy Leader of Kingston Council, Oates was the Election Agent for Edward Davey MP (now Chief of Staff to Menzies Campbell) at the 1997 General Election, resulting in a stunning victory overturning a substantial Conservative majority. He was election adviser to Jeremy Browne MP who took the seat of Taunton from the Conservatives in the 2005 election.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Menzies Campbell said:

"I am delighted that Jonathan has agreed to join the team. He has the perfect experience for this role, with his knowledge of the Party and his media and strategic skills he has a significant contribution to make as we prepare for the next General Election.

Chief Executive of the Liberal Democrats, Lord (Chris) Rennard said:

"This is one of the toughest jobs in British politics, tasked with ensuring that we communicate our Party's policies and values effectively to the public in a highly competitive political environment. Jon has already proved, both in the Party and in his career, that he has the drive and determination to pull together the media operation and policies of this Party as well as manage this crucial department."

Jonathan Oates said:

"I firmly believe that the new sense of professionalism and determination that Menzies Campbell has brought to the Party provides us with the best opportunity we have had to make a major impact on British politics for many years. I am very excited about playing my part in ensuring that the Party takes full advantage of that opportunity."