Engage Britain appoints Francis Elliott as Director of Advocacy

Political Editor of The Times to join charity in the new year

Engage Britain, a new charity putting the people of Britain at the centre of finding ways forward on some of the biggest challenges facing our country, has appointed Francis Elliott as its first Director of Advocacy. 

Elliott, who will join the charity in the new year, will lead the organisation’s engagement with politicians of all parties, ensuring they are able to actively contribute to the broader conversations Engage Britain is having with people and communities across Britain. He will also work closely alongside members of the public, creating opportunities to connect them with those in government and empowering people to advocate for change themselves. 

He joins following 13 years at The Times, where he is currently Political Editor and was previously South Asia Editor. Prior to joining The Times in 2007, Elliott worked at both the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Telegraph. He is also the co-author of Cameron: Practically a Conservative, the definitive biography of the previous prime minister.

Commenting on the appointment, Julian McCrae, Director of Engage Britain said: “I am thrilled that Francis is joining the Engage Britain team. Within the next three years, Engage Britain will have proved the power of a new approach to policymaking; one focused on putting the people of this country – with their different views, knowledge and experiences – at the centre. Francis will play a leading role in developing our advocacy, both with political audiences and with the people of Britain who want to be part of this exciting change.”  

Francis Elliott said: “I’ve spent too long reporting on policies that have failed to address some of Britain’s most difficult and most important issues. Engage Britain wants to break the cycle by putting the people that deliver and receive policy in the room where it is made – together. I’m hugely excited to be a part of this new approach that draws on the wisdom of the frontline and works from points of agreement rather than conflict.”

Engage Britain is a new charity focused on bringing people together from across the country to find ways forward on some of the biggest challenges Britain faces. It will put people at the heart of policy development, ensuring that those who are affected by policies can contribute their knowledge and experiences to their creation. 

The charity is confident that the people of Britain, by combining their different experiences, and engaging with each other, wider communities, experts and politicians, can come up with lasting solutions to some of the most substantial issues facing the country. The first challenge it will bring people together to tackle is how to improve access to health and care for everyone in this country. This will kick off in the new year; for details of how to get involved sign up to our newsletter.