Tom Watson, the ex-government minister, former Labour Deputy Leader, author and broadcaster joins as the newly-appointed president of Counterculture Partnership LLP.
The MP for West Bromwich East for eighteen years, Tom Watson served as a minister under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown as well as being a key figure on the opposition front benches until he stood down from parliament in 2019. As Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (2015-19) he led the party’s internal organisation through complex and demanding political and organisational challenges and helped deliver the party from multi-million debt to surplus.
As Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (2016 – 2019) Tom was a consistent and very vocal champion of the arts and creative sectors, developing initiatives to classify small music venues and places of culture, lobbying MEPs in support of copyright enhancement as well as developing a regulation framework for the tech industry.
As Minister for the Civil Service and Digital Engagement (2005-09) he established the Power of Information Task Force that led to the creation of the Open Data Institute and Government Digital Service.
Tom is also the author of two best-selling books, ‘Dial M for Murdoch’ published in 2012 and ‘Downsizing’ published in 2019.