{{short description|British political adviser and consultant (born 1947)}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable | name = The Lord Liddle | image = Official portrait of Lord Liddle crop 2.jpg | birth_name = Roger John Liddle | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1947|6|14}} | birth_place = Carlisle, Cumberland, England | education = Carlisle Grammar School | alma_mater = The Queen's College, Oxford | political_party = Labour {{small|(1964–81; since 1995)}}<br/>SDP {{small|(1981–88)}}<br/>Liberal Democrats {{small|(1988–95)}} | spouse = {{marriage|Caroline Thomson|1983}} | module = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office1 = Member of the House of Lords | status1 = Lord Temporal | term_label1 = Life peerage | term_start1 = 19 June 2010 | term_end1 = }} }}

'''Roger John Liddle, Baron Liddle''' (born 14 June 1947) is a British political adviser and consultant who is principally known for being Special Adviser on European matters to the former Prime Minister Tony Blair, and President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso. He also worked together with Peter Mandelson on books outlining the political philosophy of the Labour Party under Blair's leadership. He is the chair of Progressive Britain, the successor organisation to the international think tank Policy Network and Progress, and was Pro-Chancellor of Lancaster University until 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pro-chancellor and chair of council|url=http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/vc/liddle.htm|website=Lancaster University|accessdate=15 August 2014|archive-date=19 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819083946/http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/vc/liddle.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In December 2021, Liddle was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Lancaster University.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Honorary degree for Roger Liddle |url=https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/honorary-degree-for-roger-liddle |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Lancaster University |language=en}}</ref>

==Family== Liddle was the son of John Thwaites Liddle and Elizabeth {{née}} Temple. Born on 14 June 1947 in Carlisle, he attended Carlisle Grammar School.<ref name=magic>{{cite news | url = http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/re_working_his_magic_1_351436?referrerPath=agenda_2_3255 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130505150125/http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/re_working_his_magic_1_351436?referrerPath=agenda_2_3255 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 5 May 2013 | title = Re-working his magic | accessdate = 27 March 2010 | date = 23 November 2007 | newspaper = Whitehaven News }}</ref> and gained the Wyndham Scholarship at The Queen's College, Oxford, where he gained degrees in Modern History and Management Studies. In 1983 he married the Hon. Caroline Thomson – daughter of Lord Thomson of Monifieth, former Labour Member of Parliament for Dundee East, Cabinet minister and European Commissioner. She was chief operating officer of the BBC, until she was made redundant in 2011 amidst controversy over the selection of a new BBC Director General.

==Early career== After completing his university studies, Liddle worked in research for the Oxford School of Social and Administrative Studies and as an industrial relations Officer for The Electricity Council. A member of the Labour Party since he was a teenager,<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |last1=Liddle |first1=Roger |title=A new deal in hand |work=The Guardian |date=17 July 1995 |page=13}}</ref> in 1976 he moved into politics by becoming Special Adviser to William Rodgers, Secretary of State for Transport,<ref name=magic/> during the government of James Callaghan. In 1981, he and Rodgers left Labour to become founder members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), serving on the party's national committee until 1986.<ref name=centre>{{cite news| url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/1621138.stm | title = Roger Liddle, centre stage once more | access-date = 27 March 2010 | date = 26 October 2001 | work = BBC News Online}}</ref>

Following the demise of the SDP in 1988, Liddle followed the majority of its members into the Liberal Democrats, remaining a party member and Lambeth councillor until his announcement in 1995 that he had decided to defect back to Labour, largely because he believed that the party's leadership under Tony Blair offered "the last, best hope for constructive engagement in Europe and realistic acceptance of Britain's only future destiny."<ref name="Guardian"/>

Away from politics, Liddle became Director of the Public Policy Centre in 1982,<ref name=magic/> undertaking work on the regulation of privatised industries, exchange rate policy, regional policy, science and industrial policy, employee participation and wage determination, and choice in public services. He then moved into the private sector for 10 years, taking the position of managing director of Prima Europe Ltd, a strategy consultancy company which advised on the impact of political and regulatory developments at European and national levels.<ref name=magic/>

==Government== In 1997, Liddle moved back into front-line politics to become Special Adviser on European matters to Tony Blair, now the new Prime Minister.<ref name=magic/> During a seven-year spell in this role he developed a new UK policy of positive engagement in the European Union, focusing on economic reform, innovation and enterprise promotion; modernisation of Welfare States and labour market reform; as well as institutional issues, the Constitutional Treaty, and European Defence. He was also responsible for liaison with business and trade unions on European issues.

Advancing from Number 10, he became a Member of the Cabinet of the European Union Trade Commissioner, where he advised on EU policy and their impact on the UK. In 2006 he moved on to become Principal Adviser to the President of the European Commission, leading a team of economists and experts in the Bureau of European Policy Advisers advising on the economic and social challenges facing Europe. He is also former chair of the UK government's New Industry, New Jobs, Universities and Skills advisory panel, which reported directly to Peter Mandelson, who was then Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

==After Government== Liddle is currently chairman of Policy Network – an international think tank bringing together academics, policymakers and politicians across the progressive centre left; responsible for major projects on the future of the European Social Model, public service reform, immigration and integration, flexicurity, and globalisation and social justice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.policy-network.net/default.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/aboutus/index.aspx|title=Policy Network new ideas for progressive politics|website=www.policy-network.net|access-date=2020-01-16}}</ref> He is a visiting fellow of the European Institute at the London School of Economics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lse.ac.uk/european-institute/home.aspx|title=European Institute|author=London School of Economics and Political Science|website=London School of Economics and Political Science|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-01-16}}</ref>

Liddle became a member of the Labour Party-associated Progress strategy board in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.progressonline.org.uk/campaigns/progress-strategy-board/ |title=The Progress Strategy Board |publisher=Progress |accessdate=2 March 2018 |archive-date=24 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224235838/http://www.progressonline.org.uk/campaigns/progress-strategy-board/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Peerage== upright|thumb|Liddle at Central Hall Westminster in 2015 It was announced that Liddle would be awarded a peerage in the 2010 Dissolution Honours List. He was created a life peer on 19 June 2010 as '''Baron Liddle''', of Carlisle in the County of Cumbria,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=59468 |date=24 June 2010 |page=11913}}</ref> and was introduced in the House of Lords on 21 June 2010, supported by Peter Mandelson and Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/100621-0001.htm#1006214000406|title=Lords Hansard text for 21 Jun 201021 Jun 2010 (pt 0001)|website=publications.parliament.uk|access-date=2020-01-16}}</ref>

==Political participation== Liddle has also played a direct role in elected politics, firstly as a Labour councillor for Headington ward on Oxford City Council (1971–76),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thrasher |first1=Michael |last2=Rallings |first2=Colin |title=Oxford City Council Election Results 1973-2012 |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Oxford-1973-2012.pdf |website=Elections Centre |access-date=1 March 2026 |page=1}}</ref><ref name=magic/> and then by representing Princes ward on Lambeth London Borough Council, originally for the SDP (1982–86) and then for the Liberal Democrats (1994–95).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thrasher |first1=Michael |last2=Rallings |first2=Colin |title=London Borough of Lambeth Election Results 1964-2010 |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Lambeth-1964-2010.pdf |website=Elections Centre |access-date=1 March 2026 |pages=6, 10}}</ref> In 2013, he was elected to Cumbria County Council for the Wigton Division, remaining ''in situ'' until his retirement in 2023. He also unsuccessfully contested two Parliamentary elections for the SDP (Vauxhall at the 1983 general election and Fulham at a by-election in 1986) and one for the Liberal Democrats (North Hertfordshire at the 1992 general election).<ref name=centre/>

==Publications== Liddle has written four books, all focusing firmly on European issues. Most recently ''Global Europe, Social Europe'' with Anthony Giddens and Patrick Diamond. Together with Peter Mandelson he wrote ''The Blair Revolution: Can New Labour Deliver?'' in 1996.<ref name=centre/> His thoughts on the future of Europe, made during his time in the Commission, were published in a ''Fabian Ideas'' pamphlet in 2005. * ''Challenging the politics of evasion: the only way to renew European social democracy,'' Policy Network, December 2009, [http://www.policy-network.net/publications/publications.aspx?id=3486] * ''After the crisis: A new socio-economic settlement for the EU,'' Policy Network, November 2009.[http://www.policy-network.net/publications/publications.aspx?id=3338] * ''Beyond New Labour: the future of social democracy in Britain,'' Politicos, 2009. [http://www.policy-network.net/publications/publications.aspx?id=3250] * ''Building a low-carbon future: the politics of climate change,'' Policy Network, June 2007 [http://www.policy-network.net/publications/publications.aspx?id=3136] * ''Social pessimism: the new social reality of Europe, Policy Network,'' October 2008. [http://www.policy-network.net/publications/publications.aspx?id=2662] * ''Progressive governance 2008: the path to a global progressive consensus,'' April 2008 [http://www.policy-network.net/uploadedFiles/Publications/Publications/Roger_Liddle.pdf] * ''Creating a culture of fairness: a progressive response to income inequality in Britain,'' January 2008 [http://www.policy-network.net/uploadedFiles/Publications/Publications/Creating_a_culture_of_fairness.pdf] * ''A new social Europe,'' September 2007 [http://www.policy-network.net/uploadedFiles/Publications/Publications/A%20New%20Social%20Europe.pdf] * ''The social reality of Europe,'' March 2007 [http://www.policy-network.net/uploadedFiles/Europe's%20Social%20Reaity%20-%20FINAL.pdf] * ''Global Europe Social Europe,'' October 2006 [http://www.policy-network.net/publications/publications.aspx?id=398] * ''Economic Reform in Europe: Priorities for the next five years,'' November 2004 [http://www.policy-network.net/publications/publications.aspx?id=494]

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{commons category-inline}} * [http://www.policy-network.net/ Policy Network] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914202340/http://www.policy-network.net/ |date=14 September 2017 }}

{{s-start}} {{s-prec|uk}} {{s-bef|before=The Lord Willis of Knaresborough}} {{s-ttl|title=Gentlemen'''<br />''Baron Liddle'' '''}} {{s-fol|after=The Lord Deben}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liddle, Roger}} Category:1947 births Category:British writers Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Lambeth Category:Labour Party (UK) life peers Category:Life peers created by Elizabeth II Category:Labour Party (UK) councillors Category:Living people Category:People educated at Carlisle Grammar School Category:Members of Oxford City Council Category:Members of Cumbria County Council Category:Social Democratic Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Category:Alumni of the Queen's College, Oxford Category:British political consultants Category:People from Carlisle, Cumbria